Walrus has posted that all Chapter 1.2 missions are now available on all servers. Enjoy!

Walrus posted a notice on the official forums that the Chapter 1.2 missions aren't quite ready yet. Hopefully these will be available... Soon(tm)?

Our Access Node Listing now has the Union Hill key's location. Thanks go to XtremeX of the Verner Nos faction for this information.

Also, in our Collectors Listing we've corrected the stats on many collector drops to represent their new (nerfed) numbers. Many thanks to Dr. Jest for providing us with the updated information.

Invalesco looked around the walls of the locked construct. He had been watching the subtle shifts in the code-stream of the wall, learning of the events outside in the same way a human would listen with his ears pressed to the walls of a prison cell.

Something was certainly happening. Other construct walls had fallen down, releasing the imprisoned Lupines and Blood-drinkers housed within. Tehort shouted in joy at his release, sending shockwaves through the code of Invalesco’s cell wall. Beherit was heard singing as her construct was unlocked and she was freed.

There's a summary of the next patch up on Data Node One, and this one is big! We count over 200 individual fix and enhancement line items in the list. A couple of our favorites:

Chapter 1.2 missions are now available for all Organizations.
Bug preventing players from equipping weapons when they've met the requirements has been fixed.
Players can now toggle the UI on and off. (Default hotkey: Ctrl + U)
Items now stack correctly in the Code Archive.

This is an official MEGA CITY HEALTH ALERT!

VGhlc2UgRXhpbGVzIGFyZSBhIHRocmVhdCB0byB0aGUgc3RhYmlsaXR5IG9mIH
RoZSBNYXRyaXgsIGFuZCBtdXN0IGJlIGRlbGV0ZWQuIA==

VGhlIE1hY2hpbmVzIGFyZSBub3QgcmVzcG9uc2libGUgZm9yIHRoZWlyIGNsYWltcywgd
GhvdWdoIGlmIHdlIHdlcmUsIHdlIHdvdWxkIGhhdmUgZGVsZXRlZCB0aGUgRXhpbG
UgcHJvZ3JhbXMgd2l0aG91dCBxdWVzdGlvbi4g

Distributed via Mega City Health Alert Network
Saturday, April 23rd, 1999: 10:00a Mega City Standard Time

Health Alert: Anemia and Rabies Outbreak!

Mega City health officials are being flooded with reports of patients being stricken with the sudden onset of anemia-like symptoms. The symptoms include unusual dietary cravings, pallid clammy skin and violent mood swings.

The local humane society has also reported a rash of aggressive animal behavior resulting from what they believe to be a new and extremely dangerous form of rabies. The symptoms include loss of spinal integrity, foaming at the mouth, and ruptured blood vessels in the eyes. If you notice any strange animal behavior immediately call your local Police or Animal Control for assistance. Under no circumstances should you approach a suspect animal. Animal Control also advises that pet owners keep their dogs and cats inside until more is known about this disease.

It is still uncertain if there is any connection between these two epidemics; however, until more is known, citizens are asked to immediately report any strange behavior to the authorities.

Officials warn against panic, and encourage all responsible citizens to follow the explicit direction of authorities.

##This Message was distributed to Local Mega City Health Officers, MCHAN Public Information Officers, Neighborhood Public Health Associations, Lab Directors, and Clinician organizations##

In looking at the running poll at the top of the page, I noticed a huge Zionite dominance in the responses (as well as in the actual game). So, I did what any good editor would do: I wrote an editorial. Basically, I shed some light on the other factions, their philosophies, why they may not be so evil as you think (and why Zion may not be as good as you think), and what I think the developers could do to increase interest in non-Zion factions. Please, have a read.

The team announced today on Data Node One that all players who registered a retail box key on or before April 12th will receive two free days of play time as compensation for service interruptions experienced by some since launch.

A new newsletter came out, detailing the Live Events Schedule for the next six months. While giving nothing away, the schedule is definitely worth a look. It details when the global events will be run, how long they will be, when new cinematics will come out, and when Critical Mission packs (updates to the story-based missions) will be released. This will definitely help those who are pressed for time plan their play schedules.

For those unfamilar with the history of the Matrix franchise (or looking for a refresher), AgentBoyer has written up a brief but comprehensive history. Have a look!

We've further refined our Access Node Listings to include all key dropping mobs for Downtown. We've also made a number of corrections throughout the list. Enjoy!

In an extremely rare development, IGN PC has posted an interview with the Wachowski brothers themselves. The Wachowskis do not do press (period), but MxO story author Paul Chadwick managed to slip them some questions and get some answers.

For those who wonder if they'll be playing, yes. And how will you find them?...

if you're looking you might try asking the goth-chick what vis-à-vis really means.

The Race is over.

Highlights of the past several days in The Race to Find the One:

• Morpheus' Speech to Zion and a better screenshot of his semi-reconstructed Neo on DN1.
• The Oracle addressed the masses.
• So did Morpheus, The Architect and Persephone. These speeches each contained a clue. Assembling the first three letters of the clues from all three speeches, plus three letters from the looted items yielded an AIM contact address for The Oracle.
• The Merovingian clearly led in the collection of Neo's RSI fragments across the board. These RSI fragments were looted from mobs across the game world that had been transformed into "LED Agents" - imposter Agents with red, flashing eyes. These LED Agents also randomly spawned and attacked players with impunity.
• Last night, factions were instructed to retrieve program RSIs called "The Shapers". In this portion of the event, there were 5 Shapers at different locations needing retrieval and escort to a subway station. The faction shaking the hand of a Shaper first became its escort, in a sort of "caputure the flag" way. Winners for this event have not been computed yet, due to substantial and possibly legitimate accusations that the Furious Angels may have exploited their way to a win on Enumerator.
• Tonight, those agents turned into "N30 AG3NTS" (for those unfamiliar with Matrix fiction, apartment 303 was the one Neo ran through when trying to escape Smith toward the end of the original film). These "Neo Agents" looked quite a bit like Neo (great screenshot here on Radio Free Zion's website). Finally, tonight the Neo Agents attacked en masse, spawning from numbered "Super Agents" (sort of like the end of beta event). Factions efficiently eliminated these "Super Agents" and put a swift end to the threat.

Players logging on today are finding an item in their inventory called Neo's Insight. This buff item increases Combat Toughness by 3, 6 or 9% depending on your faction and its progress in turning in the RSI x.x fragments. The faction turning in the most on a server receives a 9% buff from the item, while that turning in the lowest number receives 3%.

Also, courtesy of DJUpstream at Radio Free Zion (thanks Upstream!), we have a screenshot of Morpheus in Mara Central on Method. Morpheus is claiming Zion has reassembled the RSI x.x fragments into a code version of Neo (the green you see floating above his head in the screenshot). Could it be true, or is Morpheus once again deluded in his accomplishments? We'll have to wait and see...

Keep it here for all the latest.

On the non-storyline front, the Official Priima Guide for MxO is now available in print form. It's been available to download in secure PDF form for a little over a week now, but is now available in stores. We do know that many community elders who you're probably familiar with contributed. Look for a review of the guide soon!

Data Node One has posted intercepts of transmissions that went out yesterday to Zion, Exile and Machine mission controllers. Additionally, they are relaying accounts of LED agent activity being on the rise. They also mention that some players are finding their characters "posessed" by these LED Agents, saying and doing things that players did not commnad.

We also heard that full open Organization vs Organization (OvO) PvP was enabled last night, and there was a large brawl at Mara Central. Be on the lookout for more PvP battle opportunities!

We're working on getting more information on today's activities. If you run into anything interesting, please post it to our RSI Reporter forum thread. Stay tuned.

Thanks to our RSI Reporters, we've gathered select transmissions from all three of the Organizations' mission controllers. Out of respect for our sources (who wish to remain anonymous for obvious reasons), we will not publish the full communiques. However...

Tyndall has ordered all operatives to full alert due to increased Agent activity in the Matrix. She cites reports of Agents attacking redpills without provocation, and reminds Zion loyalists that the Truce is still in effect per Cmdr. Lock. Zion appears to be on the fence as to whether the Machines are truly connected to what's going on.

Agents Gray and Skinner seem perplexed, calling current events "a highly illogical problem". They remind Machine loyalists that the truce is to be upheld and deny any connection to the Agents appearing all over MegaCity. They ask that Machinists discover if the "contraband fragments" are being seized by some party and be prepared to report their findings back.

The Exiles, on the other hand, seem absolutely certain that the Machines are behind all this, "breaking perfectly useful things, like hardlines". The Merovingian has directed Exiles to discover the exact nature of and obtain the "contraband fragments", seeing as they appear of such importance to the Machines.

Thanks to the well-rounded view provided by our sources, we are able to make an initial determination. It would appear that none of the three factions is involved with the "Agents", and that none has any idea what the "contraband fragments" are (or one of the Controllers is a very good manipulative liar, but we do not believe so). It would be wise, in our opinion, for all Factions and Organizations to avoid a rush to judgement, as we believe a mysterious force or perhaps a manipulative fourth party is involved.

We have heard rumors of "Neo fragments" - code remnants of the One, possibly even containing bits of this thoughts as he engaged Smith in the final battle of his existence. More on this as it unfolds.

Have you seen something unusual in the Matrix? Have you talked to a major game character or controller who had something interesting or unique to say?

We (and other players too!) would love to hear it! Drop by our forums and post your experience on our RSI Reporter thread. If you don't wish to use our forums, drop us a line and let us know what happened. If your report is newsworthy, we'll feature it on the front page and make sure to credit you (please let us know how you'd like to be credited).

The Matrix Online: Legacy storyline is starting to warm up in-game. According to Aether, the event (also known as "The Race to Find the One", but we like WB PR's "MxO:L" monicker better) is on schedule and ready to roll. Already, we're hearing some initial reports...

Since last night, broadcast threats by an "Unknown Source" have been escalating. The latest:

[Attention: Prepare for new orders.]
Humans cannot be permitted to possess this contraband.
You will comply with the following Directives:
Immediately travel to the nearest hardline.
Surrender all contraband fragments.
Jack out.
Humans are no longer welcome in the Matrix.
We will be disabling hardlines.
We will neutralize your auto-jackout. Opposing these directives will result in permanent death.
If you do not surrender all contraband fragments and remove yourself from the Matrix...
You will be destroyed.
You have exactly twelve hours to comply with these directives.
Resistance is useless.
Platoon leaders will be deployed to ensure your compliance.
There is nowhere you can hide your contraband from the system.
[End of message]

There are reports of imposter Agent spawns outside mission areas (until now, imposter Agents would only appear in a mission). They are reportedly dropping "RSI x.x" (where X is 1-9 inclusive) fragments. No doubt these are the "contraband" spoken of by the "Unknown". But why are they being sought? Do they offer the bearer some awesome or fearsome power? Are they code remnants of Neo himself?

Keep it here for complete coverage! (We apologize fo the longer than normal news post, but felt it necessary in light of the time-sensitivity of the information).

A fascinating AP wire story is out, interviewing Jason Hall and Troy "Aether" Hewitt (the latter, if you didn't notice, is now Live Events Lead). Here's a peek:

The digital actors work from character sheets, which detail everything from their persona's appearance to catch phrases. Although the interaction is live, imps are required to stay within the boundaries of their character's personality.

"The character sheets are very important because it allows us to narrow down the scope of what this character may react to or say and keeps us from having The Merovingian hug a player," said Hewitt. "That just wouldn't happen."

Patch 7.3069 released yesterday, and it's a doozie. Among the highlights:

• A significant number of collector items have been hit by the Great Foam Bat. My favorite lowbie item, Caspian's Sunglasses, was once +25 points Ranged Damage. Now it's only +15. /cry.
• You can't load abilities from vendors anymore - only from hardlines or the Loading Area. This actually makes more sense.
• A Spy wearing a disguise in a mission area will see that disguise instantly compromised when opening a desk drawer or otherwise interacting with an object.

The Matrix Online Stratics Forums are available again, after an extended upgrade period. We apologize for the downtime and any inconvenience it may have caused.

The forums underwent major maintenance during the downtime. They were transferred to a new (much faster and more reliable) server. Additionally, they were upgraded to a newer version of the UBB.Threads software. Click here to see all the new features!

Here we go. - Morpheus

We received word from Warner Brothers PR today that The Matrix Online: Legacy storyline will commence on Wednesday, April 6th. The details are vague on this, the first major live event since the game's launch...

Missing and presumed dead, the One nevertheless remains a symbol of peace for those who would believe. Led by Morpheus, these true believers are ridiculed for their fervent search for the Neo's remains...

Violence erupted in the streets of Mega City this week. Faction leaders, allegedly under the instructions of Organizational leaders, brazenly imperiled the truce by openly attacking opposition faction leaders. The body count is high, tensions are at a fever pitch, but the truce remains precariously intact. It is clear that the violence is not over, and there is certainly no immediate sign of concession on any side. The factions have retreated to their respective corners to lick their wounds, but like a wounded animal, ferocity accompanies injury. Click here to read more.

Thanks again to Pyrrhus, we now have the key drop mobs for the Downtown region added to our Access Node Listings. We've also made some small corrections to the data based on feedback from our readers. There are some small bits of information for Downtown missing, but the list is now fairly complete. Enjoy!

Greetings,

We will be transferring our message forums to a new server beginning at 12:00pm on Saturday, April 2nd, 2005. The forums will be moved to a much more powerful server located in our new data center. This move will be the last for a very long time and we are sure everyone will be very pleased with the results. Not only will everyone see a vast speed and performance improvement, but also an upgrade to our forum software that will introduce a ton of great new features, far too many to list in this announcement. When the forums are back up, you'll find a list of the new enhancements in the main forum menu.

Please note that this move will require a DNS update and this can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to propagate throughout the internet. If after 72 hours you are still unable to reach the new server, you may wish to verify that your internet provider is updating their DNS properly. It should normally take no more than 72 hours.

And by the way, this is not an April Fools joke. This move is taking place.
;)

Regards,

Jhariden
Network Director

Data Node One has posted a new feature, Inside the Martial Arts of The Matrix Online. In this feature, the ZeroGravity team is introduced and the development of martial arts in MxO is discussed in detail.

The really interesting factoids are buried in Q&A a bit:

The second goal was expandability. Obviously we could keep adding moves from the martial arts forever, but what if we ended up adding martial arts weapons—which styles would give us the best support for weapons?

We have two more styles completely designed out with resources from ZeroGravity; Muay Thai and Tai Chi. These were both great styles because they fit our criteria well.

The latest issue of The Sentinel is out. Headlines:

• "Light-Emitting Diodes as Fashion Statement: Digital and Proud Of It" (PDAs being found throughout Megacity)
• "Phone Vandalism Epidemic Up 50% from previous years" (Hardline sabotage)
• "A Real Come-On" (A journalist is offered the red pill, and Persephone is caught smooching someone other than Merv. Who'd have thought it? And has anyone noticed yet that "Andres Bonifaciaeo"'s picture looks a bit like Paul Chadwick - on the right, that's me on the left?)