MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Stream Team: Spelunking in Landmark's caves

Posted: 14 Jun 2014 11:00 AM PDT

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Now that E3 2014 is over, Massively's MJ can finally dive into Landmark's new caves. She's been dying to go on a spelunking expedition to see all the new flora and find out just how deep caves go. Want to see these natural beauties for yourself? She's got more beta codes to give away! So join us live at 1:00 p.m. to see how easily MJ can get lost in a cave and maybe lose yourself in Landmark as well.

Game: Landmark
Host: MJ Guthrie
Date: Saturday, June 14th, 2014
Time: 1:00 p.m. EDT

Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

Continue reading The Stream Team: Spelunking in Landmark's caves

MassivelyThe Stream Team: Spelunking in Landmark's caves originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Game Archaeologist: Tales from Neverwinter Nights' Arelith

    Posted: 14 Jun 2014 10:00 AM PDT

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    NWN
    Back in May, I touched on the fascinating field of Neverwinter Nights' persistent worlds (PWs). I never expected it to draw so much attention, least of all from the folks still running these communities. But it did, and I was contacted by one of the player developers of Arelith, Mark "Artos" Friebus.

    Artos and his colleagues wanted to share more about the history and makeup of this 12-year-old server and why, in 2014, they're still as crazy about doing it as ever. If you want an insider's point of view as to what goes on in a persistent world -- and perhaps are open to be tempted to roll a character on one of them -- then stay tuned for the fascinating tale of Arelith.

    Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Tales from Neverwinter Nights' Arelith

    MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist: Tales from Neverwinter Nights' Arelith originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      WRUP: The one where MMOs get an easy win

      Posted: 14 Jun 2014 08:00 AM PDT

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      Ubisoft
      Welcome back to Massively's What Are You Playing, the game where we tell you what we're playing this weekend and you remind Ubisoft that almost every MMORPG since forever has somehow managed to do the impossible and include playable female characters and it did not in fact break the space-time continuum or wreck the budget.

      Continue reading WRUP: The one where MMOs get an easy win

      MassivelyWRUP: The one where MMOs get an easy win originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: Does guild recruitment annoy you?

        Posted: 14 Jun 2014 06:00 AM PDT

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        Developing and growing a guild can be a formidable challenge, especially if an MMO doesn't provide adequate tools for recruitment (hint hint, studios). There are many ways to go about it, from word-of-mouth to posts on the official forums. But I've noticed that one tactic that certain guilds use is to spam recruitment messages over and over in lowbie zones and city centers.

        This... started to really bug me the other day while playing WildStar. Seeing a message once was fine. Seeing the same message every five or 10 minutes felt like there was an annoying alarm clock that kept going off and the only way to shut it up was the ignore button.

        Does guild recruitment annoy you? What are some dos and don'ts that guilds should follow in this regard?

        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!

        MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Does guild recruitment annoy you? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Star Trek Online opens up Hearts and Minds for one day only

          Posted: 13 Jun 2014 07:00 PM PDT

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          You'll meet an army of me.
          It's Friday the 13th today, the most ominous of all day-and-date combinations. (Tuesday the 21st doesn't have a horror film series named after it.) Star Trek Online is celebrating as a result by giving players access to a special mini-episode, Hearts and Minds, an irregularly visited mission that is available to players only until 9 a.m. EDT on June 14th.

          Players who choose to take part in the mission are sent to investigate a Vulcan doctor and see just what happens when some unconventional research goes a bit too far. The mission is short and is meant to be creepy rather than gruesome, a quick vignette for any captains above level 10. You can also get a special reward for taking part, although you might feel a bit... unsettled afterward.

          MassivelyStar Trek Online opens up Hearts and Minds for one day only originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Betawatch: June 7 - 13, 2014

          Posted: 13 Jun 2014 06:00 PM PDT

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          SOTA
          In-testing MMO Shroud of the Avatar raised eyebrows this week with an update that retooled pledge tiers to arguably give crowdfunders considerable sandbox advantages in return for piles of money. What else is new in the land of MMO testing? The full Betawatch roundup awaits!

          Continue reading Betawatch: June 7 - 13, 2014

          MassivelyBetawatch: June 7 - 13, 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Fallen Earth discusses the state of the game in June

            Posted: 13 Jun 2014 05:00 PM PDT

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            It's so close, isn't it?  Yet so far.
            The Outpost isn't just a new player-created town; it's also the first peek that players in Fallen Earth will have of Alpha County and how different the landscape there really is. A new development blog has just gone live discussing where the Outpost update is in terms of development, including why it's taken so long to get the update pushed to live. In short? Because during internal testing the area was shooting server stability to pieces, and the team had to step back and fix those issues.

            While the blog still doesn't offer a definitive date for the update, it does note that the server issues from before have largely been corrected at this point, so players can look forward to testing the content soon. While the team would prefer the update be live already, it won't take long to finish if testing goes well. Read more about the structure of the region itself in the official update.

            MassivelyFallen Earth discusses the state of the game in June originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Defiance returns to Syfy next week, features game loot codes

            Posted: 13 Jun 2014 04:00 PM PDT

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            Defiance fans, season two of the TV show starts next week! Not only that, but Trion and Syfy are teaming up to offer free game loot codes which will air during each broadcast.

            If you're in the U.S. or Canada, mark your calendars for the premiere episode on June 19th at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Viewers in Australia, Brazil, Latin America, German, and parts of Europe can tune in on Friday, June 20th.

            MassivelyDefiance returns to Syfy next week, features game loot codes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            RIFT's Temporal Flux returns through June 18

            Posted: 13 Jun 2014 03:30 PM PDT

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            RIFT's Temporal Flux event has returned, and it's brought with it a new quest, vault, and mechanized mount. Players level 30 and up can speak to Planar Research Institute reps in Sanctum, Meridian, and Tempest Bay to pick up daily quests, while players of all levels can scour the game world for Temporal Flux rifts.

            MassivelyRIFT's Temporal Flux returns through June 18 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            E3 2014: Hands-on with EVE Valkyrie and a chat about Legion

            Posted: 13 Jun 2014 03:00 PM PDT

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            Valkyrie
            Why does the guy who gets motion sickness keep getting sent out into space!? Someone on Massively's staff is really looking out for you guys and gals with weak stomachs because once again I was sent to chat with CCP about EVE universe stuff and take an Oculus Rift for a spin at this year's E3. Spoiler alert: I managed to keep down my breakfast and have fun.

            First up was EVE Valkyrie, the virtual reality game that this time last year was still known as EVR. While the game looked a bit familiar, there were certainly some differences. First is the addition of Rán (it sounds like "roun"). Rán is sort of the first Valkyrie and your trainer, acting as sort of your flight instructor and mission debriefer, who helped give me a sense of setting. EVR was fun before, no doubt, but it was a stripped-down flight simulator (not a bad thing). Having a narrator makes it feel more like a game. The addition of some brighter and bolder colors helps boost immersion too.

            Continue reading E3 2014: Hands-on with EVE Valkyrie and a chat about Legion

            MassivelyE3 2014: Hands-on with EVE Valkyrie and a chat about Legion originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Take a look at DC Universe Online's survival mode

              Posted: 13 Jun 2014 02:30 PM PDT

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              At first I was afraid, I was petrified - I kept thinking I could never live without you by my side.  But then I spent so many nights just thinking how you'd done me wrong, and I grew strong, I learned how to get along.  And now you're back from outer space, I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face.  I would have changed my stupid lock, I would have made you leave your key, if I'd have known for just one second you'd be back to bother me!
              DC Universe Online is gearing up to make survivors out of its players. That's kind of the whole focus of the game's upcoming survival mode, which sets players against waves of enemies in a test of endurance and persistence. So what does it look like in action? Well, you can check that out in a fan video just past the break showing off 11 minutes of action in the survival mode on the test server.

              The footage in question isn't the group's full run of survival mode, just a shot at a full group clearing through the first round and some of the second to give viewers a sense of how it works. There's also some mild cursing in the video, so you might not want to turn your speakers up to full if you're watching this at work. But if you haven't jumped on the test server and you want to see what it'll be like to stand against the hordes as long as you can, just jump on past the break.

              Continue reading Take a look at DC Universe Online's survival mode

              MassivelyTake a look at DC Universe Online's survival mode originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              E3 2014: Hands-on with Swordsman and Dawn of the Immortals

              Posted: 13 Jun 2014 02:00 PM PDT

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              Swordsman
              I have a problem: I like a lot of the mechanics in Wuxia games like Age of Wushu, but I have trouble getting into them. Perfect World Entertainment's Swordsman Online, while lacking some of the mechanics of AoW, might have a mixture that catches people off-guard. And while you're off-guard, PWE's Dawn of the Immortals might come in and show you how the world of mobile MMOs is starting to progress.

              I had a look at both Swordsman Online and Dawn of the Immortals at this year's E3. Read on!

              Continue reading E3 2014: Hands-on with Swordsman and Dawn of the Immortals

              MassivelyE3 2014: Hands-on with Swordsman and Dawn of the Immortals originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                E3 2014: EVE: Valkyrie gameplay trailer brings war to the stars

                Posted: 13 Jun 2014 01:00 PM PDT

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                eve valkyrie
                EVE: Valkyrie may still be in the pre-alpha stage, but that doesn't mean that CCP came to E3 empty-handed this year. On the contrary, the studio delivered a gameplay trailer with a couple minutes of in-game footage from the VR space dogfighting sim.

                In it, you can see combat between fighters as they use missiles and cannons to engage in aggressive diplomacy. The camera's constant tilting illustrates how the Oculus Rift headset will offer the player an unrestrained field of view during the experience.

                Check it out after the break and let us know what you think!

                Continue reading E3 2014: EVE: Valkyrie gameplay trailer brings war to the stars

                MassivelyE3 2014: EVE: Valkyrie gameplay trailer brings war to the stars originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                E3 2014: Fighting car bosses in Ubisoft's The Crew

                Posted: 13 Jun 2014 12:00 PM PDT

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                I still can't believe racing MMOs are a thing. I know some people say they're just racing games and not proper MMOs, but once you get inside something like The Crew, you'll find a lot of interesting stuff. I demoed Ubisoft's persistent-world racer at last year's E3, and this year's hands-on revealed some changes for the better.

                Continue reading E3 2014: Fighting car bosses in Ubisoft's The Crew

                MassivelyE3 2014: Fighting car bosses in Ubisoft's The Crew originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Yoshida to Microsoft: FFXIV on Xbox One 'needs to happen'

                  Posted: 13 Jun 2014 11:00 AM PDT

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                  Talk to the Micro$oft hand
                  Final Fantasy XIV producer Naoki Yoshida is lobbying Microsoft to allow the fantasy MMORPG on its Xbox One console.

                  "We really want to do an Xbox One version," Yoshida told Pocket Lint. "The thing is, A Realm Reborn is all about cross-platform compatibility. Anybody from any platform can play together. We don't want to split our community into people who play on this platform or play on that one. So we're currently in talks with Microsoft, trying to convince them that this is what needs to happen."

                  While Yoshida did not reveal how his Microsoft talks are going, he did say that Square's plans for a FFXIV Mac client are underway.

                  MassivelyYoshida to Microsoft: FFXIV on Xbox One 'needs to happen' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  MMORPG News

                  MMORPG News


                  General: The War Against Down Time

                  Posted: 13 Jun 2014 04:31 PM PDT

                  The War Against Down Time

                  Last week I wrote about the loss of class interaction and dependency as one reason for weakened socialization in modern MMOs. This week I want to discuss another big factor in the decline of social MMOs, the war against downtime.

                  Kingdom Under Fire II: Extended Gameplay Trailer Released

                  Posted: 13 Jun 2014 03:25 PM PDT

                  Extended Gameplay Trailer Released

                  Blueside was on hand at E3 2014 and brought along a sweet gameplay trailer from Kingdom Under Fire II. Check out over four minutes of sweet gaming action and let us know what yout think in the comments.

                  The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing 2: First DLC Released, Four New Maps Added

                  Posted: 13 Jun 2014 01:53 PM PDT

                  First DLC Released, Four New Maps Added

                  Neocore Games has announced that the first DLC for The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II has been released. The new content features four maps, each with its own unique area and story. The DLC sells for $4.99 on Steam.

                  Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor: E3 Preview – Build Your Orc Army

                  Posted: 11 Jun 2014 08:33 PM PDT

                  E3 Preview – Build Your Orc Army

                  What a way to cap my E3 2014. We had a resounding 30 appointments or so over three days this week in LA, and among those many games there's hardly a one that didn't have something at least a little redeeming about what was on show. However, few games really grabbed our attention. Those which did, we'll be announcing in our E3 Awards in the coming days. One of those games that did knock our socks off, though it's still being debated on whether or not it will win an award, was Shadow of Mordor.

                  Star Wars: The Old Republic: Gambling and Group Finder: Game Update 2.8

                  Posted: 11 Jun 2014 06:25 PM PDT

                  Gambling and Group Finder: Game Update 2.8

                  As was promised a couple of months ago, Star Wars: the Old Republic's Game Update 2.8 launched on June 10th. It wasn't without difficulty, as a number of players experienced severe troubles logging in, getting stuck in a Flashpoint, transitioning to other areas, using the group finder, or logging in and seeing an empty server list. The worst of the issues were resolved within twenty-four hours, but maintenance is posted for Friday to hopefully alleviate the rest.

                  EverQuest Next: The Hypothetical E3 Wishlist

                  Posted: 11 Jun 2014 06:18 PM PDT

                  The Hypothetical E3 Wishlist

                  With little information on Everquest Next available at present and the fact that SOE's Everquest Next/Landmark team is at E3 itself, there is a small chance we may see some Everquest Next-related news or updates tacked onto Landmark showpieces on E3. To wit, I'd like to list down three things I would like to see or hear from SOE upon the MMORPG.com team's return from E3.

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