| Chaos Theory: A guide to finishing off the Filth in TSW's Whispering Tide event Posted: 13 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Events (In-Game), Opinion, The Secret World, Guides, Chaos Theory, Buy-to-Play When The Secret World puts on a long-term event, it certainly doesn't skimp on the long part! The Whispering Tide commenced way back in September 2013 and just last month moved into the final phase. During that time, players have unlocked portals, collected lore, and fought the Filth, all with the ultimate goal of opening Tokyo at the end. And while the time of Issue #9 is is almost at hand, it isn't yet here. The best way to hurry it along is to see this event through to completion and eradicate the Filth in this final stage. If you've missed any of the preceding phases, now is the perfect time to jump in and add your efforts to the cause -- not just for speeding up the release of Tokyo but for collecting all the loot and goodies for yourself as well! With this phase players have the chance to rake in all the slivers and fragments needed to purchase the available event loot (sadly, the past lore pieces are one thing that cannot be gotten). Even if you are just starting now, there are still numerous tendrils protruding from the portal, giving you plenty of time to get in on the action. And this guide is going to walk you through it. Continue reading Chaos Theory: A guide to finishing off the Filth in TSW's Whispering Tide event  Chaos Theory: A guide to finishing off the Filth in TSW's Whispering Tide event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Here's the Villa of Beasts sect from Age of Wushu's expansion Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Age of Wushu Earlier this week Snail announced Age of Wushu's Tempest of Strife expansion. Today the firm details the martial arts sandbox's Villa of Beasts sect, which boasts "some of the most diverse and powerful skills of any sect in the game." Villa of Beasts players will excel at bare-handed melee combat as well as the Dragon and Tiger Overlord Fist skill set. Further details are available at the AoW website. We've embedded the Villa of Beasts trailer after the break. Continue reading Here's the Villa of Beasts sect from Age of Wushu's expansion Here's the Villa of Beasts sect from Age of Wushu's expansion originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| CEO Ole Schreiner on Funcom's future and that police investigation Posted: 13 Mar 2014 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Age of Conan, Business Models, Interviews, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, The Secret World, Buy-to-Play Funcom CEO Ole Schreiner recently spoke with GamesIndustry.biz in a lengthy interview that covers everything from the performance of The Secret World to the future of the company to the recent Økokrim raid. The police action has to do with former CEO Trond Arne Aas and accusations of insider trading relating to The Secret World's launch. "What we know is actually very little and the few things we do know, we can't talk about because it's an ongoing case," Schreiner says. "The charges are two-fold. The first is that Funcom, between August 2011 and August 2012, manipulated the market. The other is that we had wrongfully filed insider information." It's not all gloom-and-doom going forward, though, as Funcom has gotten the Dreamworld tech behind Age of Conan and The Secret World to work on consoles, Android, and iOS devices. "It's not so much about the technology as the knowledge, which we've been building for 13 years," Schreiner explains. "It's a platform -- it has all the elements you need to make, run, and maintain a game from the production tools right down to the customer service and QA tools." Schreiner is also optimistic about Funcom's future, which is currently focused on LEGO Minifigures Online. "This new strategy is a natural evolution of the company," he states. "We would have taken this path anyway, no matter how The Secret World turned out." CEO Ole Schreiner on Funcom's future and that police investigation originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| RIFT's got a new conquest map Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, RIFT RIFT's Steppes of Infinity features "all-new objectives and opportunities for exciting PvP action," according to an update on the free-to-play fantasy MMO's website. Combatants may choose to battle for control of the Brevo and Antapo forts or ferry charges between them, and "powerful rewards for the winning team" are at stake, Trion says. RIFT's got a new conquest map originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: How would an Assassin's Creed MMO work? Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous I've finally gotten around to playing some Black Flag in recent days, and while I'm not sure how I feel about the annualization of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series, I'm having a rowdy good time in number IV. As with most of the single-player games I sample in between MMOs, I end up thinking about how they'd work as MMOs, and it seems to me that AC's lore, sci-fi stylings, and various historical settings would translate easily. I'm not sure about all of the mechanics, though. And that's where today's Daily Grind comes in! Do you think an Assassin's Creed MMO would work? Why or why not?  Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!The Daily Grind: How would an Assassin's Creed MMO work? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Ambitious sandbox MyDream launches Kickstarter today Posted: 13 Mar 2014 05:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Miscellaneous, Sandbox, Housing, Crowdfunding, Player-Generated Content Sandbox fans, meet your next obsession. It's called MyDream, and it's marketing itself as a massive 3-D multiplayer open-world sandbox focusing on "creativity and collaboration." The game will include player-designed content it's calling "adventures," rewards for cooperation and teamwork, and player-constructed environments and structures. MyDream is currently in invitation-only private beta testing, but with the launch of the Kickstarter campaign today, all pledges over $5 will secure tester access. According to MyDream CEO Allison Huynh, the Kickstarter is intended to "help bring [ MyDream's] vision of the final game to market" and offers backers rewards like flying and x-ray vision. [Source: MyDream press release] Ambitious sandbox MyDream launches Kickstarter today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Make My MMO: Crowdfunding March 2 - March 8, 2014 Posted: 12 Mar 2014 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business Models, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Crowdfunding, Make My MMO Crowdfunding news was lighter than normal for the week ending March 8th, but we nonetheless learned a bit more about space sim sandboxes Elite: Dangerous and Star Citizen. The Phoenix Project also updated us on the status of its City of Titans spiritual sequel, which now boasts a new president and a new board of directors and is "deep in pre-production." Click past the cut for the rest of this week's crowdforged notables. Continue reading Make My MMO: Crowdfunding March 2 - March 8, 2014 Make My MMO: Crowdfunding March 2 - March 8, 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Play EVE: Valkyrie on the Oculus Rift at PAX East Posted: 12 Mar 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox Ready to hop on the virtual reality hype train? Make sure you stop by the Oculus spread at this year's PAX East, as the company behind the Rift headset is partnering with CCP to bring you some hands-on time with EVE: Valkyrie. PAX East happens in Boston from April 11 through April 13. If you can't make it, don't worry because we'll be there with silly goggles on our head. Play EVE: Valkyrie on the Oculus Rift at PAX East originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Black Desert's next beta dated, new teaser site live Posted: 12 Mar 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Black Desert Korean fantasy sandbox Black Desert will kick off its second closed beta on April 4th. Pearl Abyss has put together a new teaser website to mark the occasion, and fansite Steparu.com has re-posted a lengthy gameplay video showing off nearly 10 minutes of footage from the title's first test phase. Click past the cut to have a look. Continue reading Black Desert's next beta dated, new teaser site live Black Desert's next beta dated, new teaser site live originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Stream Team: Touring EQN Landmark's cities Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, New Titles, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next, Livestream, The Stream Team, Player-Generated Content Just because EverQuest Next Landmark doesn't have NPC cities doesn't mean there aren't any. From quaint little outposts to detailed villages, enterprising players have created their own. And with the the addition of attached claims, those places are getting even grander! So Massively's MJ is hitting the cobblestone streets to take you through some of these areas that make you want to move right in. Join us at 5:30 p.m. EDT for the tour! Game: EverQuest Next Landmark Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, March 12th, 2014 Time: 5:30 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Touring EQN Landmark's cities The Stream Team: Touring EQN Landmark's cities originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Leaderboard: Are you still interested in ArcheAge? Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, Opinion, ArcheAge, Sandbox, Leaderboard So, ArcheAge. It's still not playable in English, but rumor has it that Trion's got a related announcement scheduled for next week's GDC event in San Francisco. While I've been critical of XLGAMES for its interminably slow localization process -- and for releasing its fantasy sandpark everywhere except the West in recent years -- I'm still psyched to play it. The title is both full-featured and utterly unique, and how often can that be said about a current-gen MMORPG? Ultimately, it's one worth waiting for, in my opinion. What about you? Assuming you were interested in ArcheAge at some point over the last three-plus years, are you still interested?  Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!Continue reading Leaderboard: Are you still interested in ArcheAge? Leaderboard: Are you still interested in ArcheAge? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Ten things to do in Free Realms before it's gone Posted: 12 Mar 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Trading Card Games, Virtual Worlds, Free Realms, Family, Guides, Sunsets Free Realms is set to close down at the end of this month, and despite the fact that the game is aimed toward players much younger than I am, I'm going to miss it. When the game first launched, my two oldest daughters and I played religiously. It was an easy way for us to interact and play together when I was away, and they spent a sizable chunk of their allowances on pets, mounts, and housing items over the years. So I've decided to honor Free Realms with this article detailing a few things you can do in the game before it's gone forever. Continue reading Ten things to do in Free Realms before it's gone Ten things to do in Free Realms before it's gone originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Albion Online trailer shows the dire consequences of wardrobe selection Posted: 12 Mar 2014 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Humor, Sandbox "Heroes aren't born, they're made," the new Albion Online trailer states. "You are what you wear." Sandbox Interactive's latest alpha trailer delivers a humorous illustration of how the gameplay can abruptly change with a simple costume switch. Players have different abilities, including gathering and fighting, depending on their outfits. The trailer's point is that it's important to identify what a player is wearing for his or her capabilities, but also that it's vital not to assume that's the only outfit they own. You can check out the short trailer and the full press release after the jump! [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release] Continue reading Albion Online trailer shows the dire consequences of wardrobe selection Albion Online trailer shows the dire consequences of wardrobe selection originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Neverwinter's Icewind Dale PvP factions detailed Posted: 12 Mar 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter Neverwinter's forthcoming Curse of Icewind Dale module will introduce two factions to the free-to-play fantasy MMO. Players will receive contracts from either the Ten-Towners or the Arcane Brotherhood and will subsequently be sent to collect black ice and fight monsters on behalf of their factional choice. In the process, adventurers will encounter players from the opposing faction in what Cryptic says is "a more developed PvP progression path for players who are seeking an alternative to the standard PvE content in Neverwinter." Cryptic's latest website update refers to Neverwinter's PvP as "open-world," and you can read more details via the links below. Neverwinter's Icewind Dale PvP factions detailed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| EVE Online: Rubicon 1.3 patch turns on the lights Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Patches, Sandbox, Subscription A new patch has landed in EVE Online today that features a laundry list of tweaks, the most notable of which is the first pass at the game's new linear lighting. Rubicon 1.3's linear lighting system "increases the texture fidelity improving the richness of color," but CCP said that it still needs more work. The patch also includes several quality-of-life user interface improvements such as giving contacts labels, shift left-clicking to open up a kill report, and the addition of a guest list for stations. Other changes with today's patch include better asteroid shaders, new hull maintenance bots, two new mobile tractor unit variants, additional cosmetic options for ships, and improved corporation skills. You can read the full patch notes for all of the details. EVE Online: Rubicon 1.3 patch turns on the lights originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Firefall patch takes us to the kingdom of the Crystal Skull Pirates Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PDT |
| ArcheAge Russia is blocking non-Russian IPs [Updated] Posted: 12 Mar 2014 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, News Items, ArcheAge North American players looking to play ArcheAge have kind of come to terms with the idea that XLGAMES is taking a long time to localize the game. A very long time. So long that several players have found it far more efficient to just log on to the game's Russian client. If there were hypothetically an English patch for it, that would make life that much easier for players who don't speak Russian. However, it's a moot point now, as the game's Russian servers are now blocked for players not located in Russia or former Soviet countries. According to Google translate, Mail.ru has implemented the IP block at XL's request, stating that "from states not listed, [logging in] would be impossible." No word on any potential refunds for players playing from outside of the now-limited list of available countries. [Thanks to Preacher for the tip!] [Update: Tipster Potaco pointed us toward a thread on the ArcheAge Source forums, where US posters are reporting that they are still able to log into the game with US IPs. Participants remain uncertain whether the region-blocking has been permanently lifted or will be reinforced with the next patch.] ArcheAge Russia is blocking non-Russian IPs [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Elder Scrolls monthly content will go beyond 'a new sword or a funny hat' Posted: 12 Mar 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Economy, MMO Industry, New Titles, Free-to-Play, The Elder Scrolls Online In a recent interview with Gamespot, Bethesda's VP of PR, Pete Hines, described what the publisher sees as a value proposition for The Elder Scrolls Online's $14.99-a-month sub fee. "We're also very confident in our ability to support [the sub fee] with content. And not content of the magnitude of, it's a new month, here's a new sword or here's a funny hat -- but content that is real and significant and it feels like regular and consistent DLC releases." Hines went on to describe what he sees as the major factor that will separate TESO from the sea of games launching as F2P: "We're not trying to make a game that everybody who plays games will automatically buy. It is a certain kind of game. There [are] no shooter elements. There [are] no aliens. It is a massive 'go where you want, do what you want' game that we think offers the kind of experience that's worthy of a subscription." Elder Scrolls monthly content will go beyond 'a new sword or a funny hat' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Former Free Realms lead reflects on the best and worst practices in F2P Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:30 AM PDT |
A cheaper subscription plan for individuals
At least two handset makers are said to have free access to Windows Phone licenses
It's time to think about upgrading that GeForce 9800 GTX card
The cost of an Amazon Prime membership is going up in 7 days
Google changed its search page fonts
