New World: Aeternum News

Greetings, Adventurers!

We're excited to offer up to 25% off on the 2021 Winter Convergence catalogue and returning fan favorite items now through January 5, 2023. Our holiday sale also features some free festive items. Check out the full selection, including armor skins, weapon skins, housing items, emotes, and more below. These items can be obtained individually or as part of one of our bundles in exchange for Marks of Fortune.

Launch The Game Now

[h2]FREE ITEMS[/h2]



The following selection of items are available now until January 5. Claim them for free through the in-game store:

• Hoarfrost Iron Sword - Longsword Skin
  
• Convergence Wreath
  
• Hunter's Festive Hood
  
• Hunter's Festive Coat
  

[h2]HOLIDAY SALE[/h2]
Some of our most popular store items are back and up to 25% off until they leave the shop on January 5:

[h2]ARMOR SKINS[/h2]
[h3]JADEITE ASSASSIN[/h3]



"The armor seems to sculpt itself against the wearer's body like a second skin for ultimate stealth."
Cost: 11,250 Marks of Fortune

[h3]STONEBARK[/h3]



"Bark as thick and heavy as stone rests on the skin of the wearer, granting them superior immunity."
Cost: 11,250 Marks of Fortune

[h3]MOONBORNE[/h3]



"Imbued with the shining powers of the crescent moon, lighting up Aeternum just as the lunar surface does at night."
Cost: 11,250 Marks of Fortune

[h2]WEAPON SKINS[/h2]
[h3]ETERNAL FLAME - FIRE STAFF SKIN[/h3]



"The orb atop this pillar of flame is carved of the finest jade known to Aeternum."
Cost: 6,375 Marks of Fortune

[h3]VOID’S GOLDEN TOUCH - VOID GAUNTLET SKIN[/h3]



"Darkness lies within the glint of gold."
Cost: 11,250 Marks of Fortune

[h3]NIGHTSHADE THORNS - BLUNDERBUSS SKIN[/h3]



"The members of the Solanum genus are deadly for their poisons, best distributed through their prickly thorns."
Cost: 6,375 Marks of Fortune

[h3]FROZEN FLOWER - ICE GAUNTLET SKIN[/h3]



"Only the hardiest of flower can survive the icy cold this gauntlet radiates."
Cost: 5,625 Marks of Fortune

[h3]FAITH’S LANCE - SPEAR SKIN[/h3]



"Put your faith in the ever-moving heavens above and strike forth, chosen one."
Cost: 5,625 Marks of Fortune

[h3]HEKATE’S TOWER - SHIELD SKIN[/h3]



"Phases of the moon wax and wane, but the power of this shield is a splendorous constant."
Cost: 6,375 Marks of Fortune

[h3]THE MAGICIAN’S DELIGHT - LIFE STAFF SKIN[/h3]



"Wielded by countless mages before you, the staff is still light and tingling with magic."
Cost: 6,375 Marks of Fortune

[h2]CREST PACKS[/h2]
[h3]LUNAR NEW YEAR CREST PACK[/h3]



Includes:

• Leaping Tiger
  
• Tiger’s Head
  

"The sign of the tiger."
Cost: 2,250 Marks of Fortune

[h3]GESTURE CREST PACK[/h3]



"You say so much, when you say nothing at all."
Cost: 2,250 Marks of Fortune

[h3]ANIMAL HEAD CREST PACK[/h3]



"Tap into the spirit of the animal."
Cost: 3,750 Marks of Fortune

[h2]CAMP SKINS[/h2]
[h3]FORTUNE TELLER’S TENT[/h3]



"Whether your specialty is palm-reading or tarot cards, customers will line up at this tent for your predictions."
Cost: 15,000 Marks of Fortune

[h2]EMOTES[/h2]
[h3]EYES ON YOU[/h3]



"Eternal Vigilance."
Cost: 3,000 Marks of Fortune

[h3]COIN TOSS[/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
"A flip of the coin."
Cost: 3,750 Marks of Fortune

[h3]CRY[/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
"Water the earth with your tears."
Cost: 3,750 Marks of Fortune

[h3]SNOW ANGEL[/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
"Angels are in short supply on Aeternum. Make more. Just don't get frostbite."
Cost: 3,750 Marks of Fortune

[h3]GALLOP[/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
"Ride upon your trusty steed."
Cost: 4,500 Marks of Fortune

[h2]FIRE AND FLAMES BUNDLE[/h2]



“Go out in a blaze of glory, or up in smoke.“

Includes:

• Devil Went Down to Aeternum Apparel
  
• Sour Note Weapon Skin
  
• Critic’s Choice Weapon Skin
  
• Star-Studded Defense Weapon Skin
  
• Spiked Shredder Apparel
  
• Sunblaze Apparel
  
• Glorious Phoenix Pet
  
• Ascendance Weapon Skin
  
• Winged Savior Weapon Skin
  

Cost: 75,000 Marks of Fortune

[h2]WINTER 2021 SALE ITEMS[/h2]
Pick up any items from last Winter that you may have missed. The following selection is 25% off now through January 5:

[h2]ARMOR SKINS[/h2]
[h3]MIDWINTER’S MAJESTY[/h3]



"By gleam of gem, finery of fur, and glamour of vivid color, one revels and fights back the chill of the darkest nights of the year."
Cost: 11,250 Marks of Fortune

[h3]SPIRIT OF THE SEASON[/h3]



"One cuts a distinctive silhouette in the season’s gloom as folk gather for celebratory processions."
Cost: 11,250 Marks of Fortune

[h2]WEAPON SKINS[/h2]
[h3]YULETIDE ROD - LIFE STAFF SKIN[/h3]



"Carved in winter and hardened over a burning Yule log, the energies of this staff fill one with the warmth of a cozy hearth."
Cost: 6,375 Marks of Fortune

[h3]JACK FROST MITTS - ICE GAUNTLET SKIN[/h3]



"In the crackle of the forming ice, one can hear the jolly cackle of a dandy demon."
Cost: 6,375 Marks of Fortune

[h3]MISTLETOE BOW - BOW SKIN[/h3]



"Festoon your prey with festive arrows and deck the halls with your trophies."
Cost: 6,375 Marks of Fortune

[h3]HOLIDAY'S EDGE - HATCHET SKIN[/h3]



"This gilded axe glitters and gleams with the glory of the season."
Cost: 5,625 Marks of Fortune

[h3]SATURNALIAN SKEWER - SPEAR SKIN[/h3]



"Every kill feels like an offering to the chthonic forces waiting just below the surface of the riotously merry holidays."
Cost: 5,625 Marks of Fortune

[h3]WASSAILING BLADE - RAPIER SKIN[/h3]



"Ancient songs and carols fill the head of this sword’s wielder, and often they sing along during the dance of battle. Wassail! Wassail!"
Cost: 6,375 Marks of Fortune

[h2]TOOL BUNDLES[/h2]
[h3]HIBERNAL HARVESTERS TOOLS[/h3]



"Gathering resources in the dead of winter can be a grim and gloomy enterprise. Why not warm the heart with glitter and gilt?"
Cost: 11,250 Marks of Fortune

[h2]CAMP SKINS[/h2]
[h3]WINTER STAR[/h3]



"Protect yourself from the icy winters of Aeternum in a standing tent."
Cost: 15,000 Marks of Fortune

[h3]WINTER OPULENCE[/h3]



"Enjoy the view in elegant style with this standing tent."
Cost: 15,000 Marks of Fortune

[h2]HOUSING ITEMS[/h2]
[h3]WINTER CONVERGENCE DECOR BUNDLE[/h3]



"Welcome guests to your home during Winter Convergence, a time of cheer and fear in Aeternum."

This bundle includes the following housing items (pictured above):

• Chandelier
  
• Garland (x4)
  
• Gingerbread Cottage (x2)
  
• Tree of Light
  
• Presents (x2)
  
• Snowman
  

Cost: 10,500 Marks of Fortune

[h3]FESTIVE DEER[/h3]



"A deer with its own scarf to keep warm against the threat of Forever Winter."
Cost: 11,250 Marks of Fortune

Thanks for your support! We’ll see you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

Embody the Winter Convergence Spirit this holiday season with tips from some of your favorite New World personalities. We joined Twitch streamers Arshee, Baggins, BDLG, Danneh, KatContii, and Redbyrd to discuss helping other players through groups, the Trading Post, open-world encounters, and more. Here’s how to spread holiday cheer throughout Aeternum this year.

[h2]ALWAYS ASK FOR HELP[/h2]
“Most people are willing to help because we all remember the struggles of being under geared,” KatContii said. “Companies are a really good way of getting a feel for the game and more often than not are recruiting to help people out!”

“I remember doing the Halloween Terror event, which was an end game character boss, and so many underleveled players would show up to try to get credit. End game players would make sure the low levels players were taken care of by grouping with them. Once a level 27 player showed up, and there was no healer in sight, so he strapped on a Life Staff and healed every level 60 player. Though his heals were as weak as they were, it helped LOL.”



[h2]ANSWER QUESTIONS IN CHAT[/h2]
“Take a moment to answer questions from new players in chat,” BDLG said. “They might queue for your M10 down the road!”

[h2]INCLUDE FRIENDS & DON’T BE AFRAID TO FAIL[/h2]
“Include friends in your journey throughout Aeternum,” Arshee said. “Even the smallest experience can grow into something more meaningful and last a lifetime. For example, Expedition runs don’t always have to be successful. Sometimes failing the longest Expedition turns into the most hilarious experience. I have never laughed so hard about some of the mistakes my group made together. Take your time and enjoy the holiday festivities!”



[h2]SEND GROUP INVITES TO NEARBY PLAYERS[/h2]
“Whether you’re facing off against the Winter Warrior, taking part in a Chest Run or simply running quests, if you have room in your group (or are solo) try inviting nearby players into your group," Baggins said. "A lot of tasks in New World are easier with more players. Some might be shy or new to the concept of grouping but will appreciate the invite."

“The worst they can do is decline!”



[h2]STOP WARDED GEAR REQUESTS FOR HEALERS[/h2]
“During the holiday season, stop insisting that your Healer needs Warded gear in the Group Finder," Redbyrd said. "We all know they don’t need it."

[h2]JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST WORLD BOSSES[/h2]
“A memorable moment last winter was everyone coming together to beat up the Yeti in Myrkgard,” Danneh said. “This year, I am very excited to see a similar trend with the new Winter Warrior World Boss... WHICH I MIGHT ADD, I LOVE WORLD BOSSES!”



[h2]REVIVE DOWNED PLAYERS TO HELP WITH KILL CONTRIBUTIONS[/h2]
“When taking on open-world elites and bosses, you often only need to do a small amount of damage to count as ‘contributing’ to the kill for loot,” Baggins said. “Once I’ve confirmed my damage, I like to keep an eye out for any unfortunate players that may have been downed, and pick them back up. Doing so gives them a better chance to get their own damage contribution, and they might even return the favor if you find yourself on the receiving end of a particularly aggressive elite!”



[h2]SAVE YOUR FRIENDS AND FELLOW ADVENTURERS FROM MOBS[/h2]
“Help your fellow adventures out on Elite Chest Runs,” BDLG said. “Don't stand by or let them get beat up by the Brimstone archers. Kill the mobs and save you friends.”

[h2]EASE NEW & RETURNING PLAYERS INTO THE EXPERIENCE[/h2]
“Your friends that return to Aeternum might feel overwhelmed with all of this new content at their feet,” Arshee said. “Introduce each element to them separately at a leisurely pace. Group up for activities like playing songs and searching for hidden chests throughout Brimstone Sands to improve their confidence. Beyond feeling more comfortable in solo situations, your help can motivate them to reach the end game.”



[h2]PLAY THE TRADING POST[/h2]
“I can’t tell you how many people ask about making gold,” KatContii said. “The trading post is the BEST way to make gold. Whether it’s selling raw mats, flipping items, or placing buy orders to resell at a higher value, learning how to manipulate the market will net you more good than you know what to do with. For example, Warring is a big part of the game. Placing War mats on the market during peak War time, means you can increase the price of things like honing stones, oak flesh, and gemstone dust, because those are items War loggers need!”

[h2]LIST UNWANTED ITEMS FOR CHEAP[/h2]
“A few months ago I thought I’d get a bit ‘wild’ and attempt a Life Staff and Bow build,” Baggins said. “The results of this experiment weren’t great, but one thing that made the adventure easier was picking up some unusual Dexterity / Focus (of the ‘Artificer’) for cheap at the Trading Post."



“To most this gear would be near useless as the stat line doesn’t work for any common weapon combinations and as a result is not likely to sell. But as they say, ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.’ Those Beast Ward + Repulsing Stopping Power Heavy Gauntlets with Strength and Dexterity may be the ideal item for someone’s Musket Warhammer Tank build.”

[h2]MAKE SQUIRMING VINES CHEAP AT THE TRADING POST[/h2]
“In the spirit of the Winter Convergence, we should all work together to reduce the price of Squirming Vines and spread the joy of Shirking Fortification to everyone,” Redbyrd said.

[h2]CELEBRATE & REWARD SUCCESS[/h2]



“Whenever one of my friends hits level 60, I buy them 2 perk armor/weapons with 590 Gear Score or above at the Trading Post," Arshee said. "This allows them to obtain their first 610 GS weapons in Brimstone Sands with ease. They can then more easily challenge any Expedition as they gain additional expertise."

[h2]DO GROUP DAILIES[/h2]
“This game has a couple of dailies you should always do,” KatContii said. “One of them is refining your rare mats and the other is going on what servers call either an Elite Chest Run (ECR) or a World Tour (WT). These are player-hosted events where tons of players group up and grab chests around Aeternum that are in a 24 hour cooldown.”



“Doing your refining daily is also important because you can only craft 10 of each rare mats per day (more if your faction has the First Light fort and you have the refining armor set). Make sure to do your daily refining when your faction has the First Light Fort since it gives you a 10% refining yield.”

[h2]TIP YOUR BARDS[/h2]
“They’re working hard to give you all the good buffs,” BDLG said. “If they miss half the notes then gift them a new instrument. Theirs might be broken.”



[h2]ENJOY WINTER CONVERGENCE & KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE SKY[/h2]
“The Winter Convergence Festival was one of the most fun events in New World this year,” Danneh said. "Aside from the mysterious Sandworm in Brimstone, the Gleamite Meteors are one of the coolest things you will see around Aeternum. Keep your eyes on the sky and you will not be disappointed."



“As someone who absolutely loves travelling north, I've spent some time in Iceland watching the northern lights, so to witness these in-game is awesome!”

[h2]SPECIAL THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY[/h2]
“Finally, I want to extend gratitude to the New World team and community,” Redbyrd said. “It’s a pleasure being part of this amazing group and I wish you all a Happy Holidays!”

How do you embody the Winter Convergence Spirit? Let us know on the forums. Thanks for your support! Enjoy the holidays and we’ll see you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

A sale and new bundle are coming to Aeternum. You can now save 50% on the Standard and Deluxe Editions of New World through January 5, 2023. Want to look like a seasoned Adventurer from the start? Our new Azoth Edition features everything in the Deluxe Edition, plus additional skins, emotes, and more. It’s available now for a special, limited-time introductory price of $44.99. Beginning January 5, 2023, the suggested retail price of the Azoth Edition will be $89.99. Read on for an overview.

[h2]NEW WORLD - AZOTH EDITION[/h2]
Bring more than just curiosity to Aeternum. The Azoth Edition includes:

• Scorching Sand Apparel Skin: With only your eyes exposed to the elements, look upon the dunes of sand and chart your course to victory.
  
• Wicked Ways Weapon Set: When you stare into the gem, evil stares back.
  
• Blunderbuss of Brimstone Weapon Skin: It feels warm in your hand, pulsing a kind of oppressive heat that almost smells of sulfur.
  
• Sarcophagus Housing Item: A standing and functional piece of art that may or may not still be full of its haunted contents.
  
• Celestial Hare House Pet: The vast expanse of the universe resides within the fur of this pet that you can add to your home. Access to Housing unlocks at level 15 in-game.
  
• Aegyptus Crest Pack: Do you curse your foes or simply crush them with your might? Does it matter as long as they flee from your presence? Company Crests can only be used by the governor (creator) of a company.
  
• Card Suit Company Crest Set: Never reveal your hand until the gold is on the table. Company Crests can only be used by the governor (creator) of a company.
  
• Desert Vanguard Title: First to explore the mysterious deserts of Aeternum.
  
• Chest Pound Emote: A display of dominance.
  
• Gold Dye [5x pack]: A consumable dye pack used to color parts of clothing and armor.
  
• Silver Dye [5x pack]: A consumable dye pack used to color parts of clothing and armor.
  
• Smoldering Scarlet Dye [5x Pack]: A consumable dye pack used to color parts of clothing and armor.
  

All Deluxe Edition content (listed below) will come with the Azoth Edition:

• Woodsman Apparel Skin: Stand out from the crowd or blend in with the forest.
  
• Woodsman Hatchet Skin: Complete the Woodsman look with this weapon skin for the versatile hatchet.
  
• Mastiff House Pet: Make your house a home with the Mastiff house pet. Access to housing unlocks at level 15 in-game.
  
• Rock/Paper/Scissors Emote Set: Rock, Paper, Scissors, a light-hearted game with friends or a tool for making difficult decisions.
  
• New World Digital Art Book: A collection of incredible concept art from the making of New World.
  

[h2]WHAT IS NEW WORLD?[/h2]
Check out this overview for everything you need to know about the game:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Explore our new player guide for an even more detailed breakdown.

Thanks for your support! We'll see you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

Get a taste of New World through our Steam Free Weekend on 12/15 at 10AM PST until 12/19, 10AM PST. Experience the revamped starting experience, find a favorite weapon, and explore a vast world either solo or with friends. Dive into our new player guide to make the most of your time in Aeternum. You never know what you'll discover next!

[h2]FAQ[/h2]

[h3]Why can’t I create a character on server?[/h3]

Not all servers are available for new character creation. Please either check back later or create a character on another server. Fresh Start Worlds are not available to Free users and only Legacy worlds are available for selection during the event unless upgraded via a game copy purchase.

[h3]How do I continue playing New World after the Free Weekend ends?
[/h3]
You can purchase the Standard or Deluxe editions of New World on Steam or Amazon. All of your progress will be saved so you can pick up right where you left off.

[h3]Will the character I created during the Free Weekend remain/be deleted after the Free Weekend?
[/h3]
Your character will still be there and you can continue playing if you purchase New World after the Free Weekend. We have no plans to delete/remove the free characters at this moment.

[h3]I created my character on the wrong account during the Free Weekend. Can you help transfer my character to server?
[/h3]
Unfortunately we are not accepting transfer requests at this moment.

[h3]Can I purchase items from the in-game store during the Free Weekend event?
[/h3]
In-game purchasing will not be available until you purchase the full game.

[h3]As a new player, will I be able to play with my friends who are already playing?
[/h3]
If your friend’s server is not marked as ‘Full’ as shown on our Server Status page then you will be able to join them on their server.

[h3]Are you planning to open servers that have Full status before or during the event?
[/h3]
We do not have special plans to open Full servers at this time. Please keep an eye on the Server Status page for any updates that may happen.

[h3]Will free players get a server transfer token after the event is over?
[/h3]
We are not planning to provide server transfer tokens at this time.


Thanks for your support! We’ll see you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

Discover the holiday magic behind this year’s Winter Convergence Festival before it ends on January 10, 2023. Our Audio and Narrative Teams took inspiration from various holiday festivities to make the event feel like a natural extension of what you love about New World. Enjoy the ambience of Winter villages, confront the Winter Warrior’s brutality in an all-new world boss fight, and immerse yourself in nostalgic sounds as you complete quests for new, limited-time rewards. Here’s how we brought the holiday season to life in Aeternum.

[h2]WINTER CONVERGENCE FESTIVAL LORE
[/h2]A mysterious creature referring to themselves as the Winter Wanderer appears in Aeternum at the start of the Convergence season, but the denizens of Aeternum are doubtful of its bold claim. Tales of the Winter Warrior and Frigid Folk are just that, tall tales to tell around the campfire! However, a string of strange disturbances fitting the stories of the Frigid Folk are occurring around the island.



The tales are true. The Winter Warrior and its legion of Frigid Folk are behind the occurrences and are exacting their plan of a Forever Winter! Real or not, the creature known as the Winter Wanderer is the key to fighting back.

[h2]WINTER WANDERER & WARRIOR LORE[/h2]
“We wanted to introduce the backstory of the Winter Wanderer in stages,” said Narrative Designer Aaron de Orive. “We knew we’d use yetis as major characters, both a good and an evil version. They would speak their own language, consisting of grunts, growls, and roars created by our amazing audio team. That certainly made sense for the Winter Warrior, the savage yeti, but the Wanderer needed to be able to communicate with the players as a quest giver. So it was decided to make the Wanderer a yeti by way of a magical curse. He wasn’t always a yeti, and if you pay attention to the Wanderer’s dialogue, he hints at a previous life, mentioning distant memories of a warm fire, children’s laughter, and the beautiful sound of ringing bells. The Wanderer’s memories will slowly return to him, allowing the players to help him piece together who he was before the curse, and more importantly, why he was cursed.”

“The plan was also to slowly reveal the larger lore behind the Winter Convergence event. Aeternum hosts many ancient powers, and as the source of all myths in the world, it stands to reason that it would’ve had a being that inspired Yule figures like Father Winter. Players will have to wait a few more seasons to discover who or what this mysterious being may be, and how it guides the events that make up the Winter holiday. The Wanderer is a representative of this being, spreading the hopeful message and meaning of the season.”



“But likewise, the Warrior similarly serves an ancient entity, and it stands in stark contrast to the benevolent figure of Father Winter. This dark figure will also be explored in future iterations of the Winter Convergence event. Because on Aeternum, there must always be the darkness to contrast against the light.”

[h2]WINTER CONVERGENCE FESTIVAL AUDIO INSPIRATION[/h2]
[h3]WINTER VILLAGE[/h3]
“It’s not easy to establish one sound that represents all the cultures so I looked at the game environment and went again to my hometown French forest during the winter holidays,” said Audio Director Jean-Edouard Miclot. “Lots of snowflakes started falling slowly from the sky through the tall green pine trees so I put my handheld recorder under a thick bed of dry leaves and pressed record. Nature is magic on its own. The result was an ASMR-like tinkle of each snowflake landing on the leaves. It created a gentle ambient bed that I used in the main menu and around the Winter Convergence tree in the settlement and in the winter village.”



“We also needed an ambient music track in the winter village that felt free from cultural influences so I started writing music based on the New World theme but made with various toys like a little train whistle, bicycle bells, xylophone toy, crystal glasses and other virtual instruments. The idea was to make music from presents so I recorded my three little boys opening our gifts under my parent’s tree and there was a lot of noise from the excitement unwrapping presents but I managed to salvage a lot of cute little giggles, laughs and reactions. The audio denoising tools we have these days are amazing so I used them to their full extent to express childhood memories and the happiness around family. My kids have now aged a bit and so have their voices, making it an interesting manifesto to listen to that track again.”

[h3]WINTER WANDERER[/h3]
“New World is filled with a lot of personal experiences,” said Jean-Edouard. “The loud animalistic voice of the Winter Wanderer for example is made from a large female Canadian moose that I recorded in Kamloops British Columbia where my wife’s uncle and aunt lived. I had the chance to record the majestic animal with a trainer who could call her and make her talk. I built several expressive phrases from all the snippets and the voice of the yeti was born.”

[h3]WINTER WARRIOR[/h3]
“The Winter Warrior is a behemoth of a creature and the embodiment of a winter storm full of rage and furry,” said Senior Audio Designer Michael Finley.” I wanted to reflect this brutality in the sound design of the Warrior's voice. However, I felt it a personal challenge to convey his brutal nature through other sonic means and didn't want to lean on the usual apex predator animals such as lions, bears, and tigers for audio source material.”



“In battle, some of his actions and movements felt more light hearted. There are moments where he regathers his strength in-between large scale attacks, and you can see him shaking his head side to side. I had an instantaneous emotional reaction to this and imagined the sound of cheek jowls fluttering back and forth. Immediately the sound of gnarly, gurgly, guttural Camel vocalizations came to mind. This would become the foundation of the Winter Warrior's Voice voice. Twisting the Camel voice audio samples to sound more aggressive was the perfect challenge and led to some very surprising and unpredictable results. In the end, the voice feels eerie and uncanny while at the same time ferocious, which is perfect for this winter monster.”

[h3]GLEAMITE METEOR[/h3]
“Using a personal recording for a character or an object that has nothing to do with the recording is like performing a magic trick.” said Jean-Edouard. “I tried this non-literal approach last year on the sounds of the Gleamite meteor. It was initially set up to play a sound when the meteor entered the atmosphere but it felt cheesy. It's only when I accidentally came upon an old World War 2 prop plane recording that I had an idea. The aircraft didn't sound recognizable but it felt real so I delayed the start of the meteor by about 10 seconds and hooked up that plane sound to play at the meteor location but with no visuals.”

“I think it worked well because it drew attention toward the event. It created anticipation!”



“It made players stop what they were doing, look at the sky and wait for it to happen. Then after a short silence, the meteor entered the atmosphere with a powerful crackling sound made from distorted ice recordings and a rocket launch sound effect. It was dramatic!”

“The meteor being so powerful, we made sure that players could hear it in a 600 meter radius (650 yards). It's the second loudest sound after the Brimstone Sands pyramid that you can hear up to 1.2 km (0.75 miles). It could be a world record in game audio, maybe someone will let us know!”

“The VFX team initially had the meteor explosion working as one beat but it didn’t feel interesting enough so we asked for a Boom-Shack kind of rhythm and I was surprised when they agreed to redo it with this off-beat implosion/explosion.”

“The implosion was simply made from a synthetic sub-harmonic effect but the explosion was surprisingly made from a dirt bike recording combined with a TNT explosion and the pitched down metallic sound of scratching a baseball bench. Sound design can be a strange artistic thing sometimes…”

[h3]GLEAMITE CHUNKS[/h3]



“The big Gleamite chunks that players can mine are essentially crystals from space so I wanted them to sound credible and otherworldly but also musical,” said Jean-Edouard. “Their transparent blue color reminded me of my trip to a glacier in Iceland where the water was flowing through the shiny blue ice so I used those water recordings to keep it grounded. I layered some of the baseball bench screeches to make them sound otherworldly and used crystal glass sounds to make it musical.”

“That's the way we imagined the sounds of the winter holidays for you in Aeternum and I hope you like immersing yourself in it again.”

Thanks for your support! Enjoy the holidays and we’ll see you in Aeternum.