Today, Trion Worlds has introduced a brand new feature for the popular MMO Rift, to be released with the game’s next Update. Described as ‘Open-world action on demand,’ Instant Adventure will allow players to instantly enter group quests with the click of a single button.  Ascended between levels 45-50 will be able to enter or leave the action in progress without worrying about disrupting the game for other players. The instance scales as players come and go, increasing in scope and difficulty to match the proficiency of the group.

We've updated our Planar Attunement Calculator! Now you can explore and test Tier 2 of your PA options before committing in game. And just like our Soul Tree Calculator, you can link to your build to share it with friends and other players. Our PAC also includes:

• A listing of all stat increases gained by Planar Attunement.
• The ability to lock your build when you're happy with it and unlock it later.
• Links to your Attunement build presented in several handy formats.
• The ability to reset your entire build or reset individual planes.

While you're there, remember to upload your discovery logs! Every log helps our database grow to give you the best info on the game!

Recently I had the opportunity to test Ember Isle, well before its release. While I was playing an unfamiliar character on a new computer without my usual keybinds, we were also given incredibly powerful gear, multitudes of potions and optional GM powers. And we made use of them! Lead designer Hal Hanlin told us going in that the enemies would be tough, even for players in decent gear. So what's the first thing I did? Traveled to Ember Isle on my freshly minted level 50 of course!

RIFT 1.6 Hotfix #3 - 8:00am PDT 11/29/11 [NA] - 2:00am GMT 30/11/11 [EU]

GENERAL

• Fixed the spamming of multiple Fae Yule mails.
• Candy Cane weapons now remain visible when sheathed.
• Warrior-type NPCs using Sweeping Strike, Cyclone Strike, and Promise of Steel will no longer hit with these abilities in a full circle - players standing behind them will be safe.
• Greenscale's Blight: Treants are 100% more treant-y and may be foraged.
• Client stability improvements!

EMBER ISLE

• The Magma Hounds at Obsidian Shore are now skinnable.
• Karris will now fight much more fiercely for his life when confronted during the quests 'Protect the People' and 'The Wanton Unbound'.
• Omen and Quantum Sight artifacts now respawn more reliably.
• Look Again: Added additional instructions for the use of the Shimmering Orb Shard.
• Pyrkari at Large: All steps of this quest now grant credit to all members in a group when completed.
• Stopping the Swarm: There are now proper quest location icons for both steps of this quest.

The promised weekend bonuses have been announced!  Log in to Rift this weekend and receive: 

• 30% Experience from kills
• 30% Favor from kills
• 30% Prestige from kills
• 30% Dungeon Currency (Plaques & Marks)
• 30% Planarite

While you're in-game stop by the Fae Yule events. If you're not sure where to start check out our Fae Yule Event Guide!

It's Christmas time, and Trion Worlds is celebrating in style! Coming this weekend, Rift will start a six week, three phase world event called "Fae Yule." During the celebrations, players will be able to grab some holiday hats, new quests, and other festive items.

Of course, no Christmas is complete without some conflict (have you never been to a family gathering?), and during Fae Yule, the dragon of air, Crucia, is out on the hunt to enslave the Fae once again. Players must team up against Crucia to earn Unique Snowflakes, which can then be traded for some festive gear, a lavis vaiyuu mount, or even... A JOLLY CORGI COMANION!? I need to get in on this!

Luckily, ZAM's Rift Team has you covered! Check out our Fae Yule Celebration Guide for all your Corgi-hunting needs!

The festivities begin this weekend with three days of bonuses, including increased experience, PvP Favor and Prestige, Plaques of Achievement, and Planarite.

RIFT 1.6 Hotfix #2 - 8:00am PDT 11/22/11 [NA] - 2:00am GMT 23/11/11 [EU]

GENERAL

• Characters who had somehow gained notoriety with the mysterious 'Null Faction' have had it removed.
• Fixed a bug where AAF friends would not always be able to summon each other.
• The Anti-Planar Augmentation and Holy Champion abilities now provide their bonuses against Colossi.
• Iron Pine Peak: Chasing Chekharoth: The minimum level required for this quest series has been reduced to 48.
• Scarwood Reach: Fists of Fury: Can now be properly turned in to Sir Martyn Myrsol.
• Terminus: Reduced damage dealt by Shyla the Fallen.

RIFT 1.6 Hotfix #1 - 8:00am PDT 11/18/11 [NA] - 2:00am GMT 19/11/11 [EU]

EMBER ISLE

• Fixed a timer issue with the zone events Ithkus' Rise and In Golden's Grasp so the events won't time out or fail prematurely.
• Zone Event: Fires of Rebirth: Scerrion should more reliably transform during this event.
• A New Threat: Moved the location of one of the Sourcewater Basins away from Fort Zarnost.
• An Unexpected Revelation: Fixed a case where the Pyrkari Altar could become unusable.
• Clear a Path: Objective text now refers to the correct object name.
• Lurking in the Mist: Moved one of the summoning circles out from beneath a tricksy rock.
• Dissection, Look Again, Mindtwister: Increased the respawn rate for these quests' targets.
• The Miasmic Tide: Reduced the damage dealt by Diseased Keepers to the Miasmic Conches.
• Target Practice buffs won't stick around forever anymore.
• Several general cases of quest objects and mobs with slow respawns have been addressed.
• Players completing the twisted artifact collection for Ember Isle now receive a title for their efforts!
• All mobs brought to Telara through the new Ember Isle Raid Rifts should now properly despawn when the Rift is closed.
• Corrected the new water reflections on Ember Isle so they no longer show objects that shouldn't be reflected.
• Fixed an issue causing the Fell Fields lava to disappear on low video settings.

Just minutes ago, Trion Worlds took down their servers for a two-hour downtime to bring Patch 1.6: Ember Isle to the masses. Along with this patch release, they've also provided a dandy trailer to get you all excited and ready to dive into Rift's new content. Here at ZAM, we've also been hard at work compiling guides, hands-on experiences and interviews in preparation for 1.6, so be sure to check out:

• Rift's 1.6 Patch Notes
• ZAM's "From the Embers" Guides
• Staff Writer Paul "LockeColeMA" Cleveland's Hands-on Experiences
• ZAM's 1.6 Interview with Trion World's Hal Hanlin
• The "making of" Trailer for Ember Isle

Trion has announced a two-hour downtime for Wednesday, November 16, 2011 which brings us the highly anticipated Update 1.6! North American servers began their patch at 10am PST. EU servers will have their downtime at 2am GMT (6pm PST).

There's lots of great content on the way and your ZAM Rift staff has been busy getting the info! Check out our "From the Embers" guides!

Continue after the jump for the full patch notes.