MMO Updates |
- Bigpoint and Mail.Ru partnering for global distribution deal
- EVE dev blog talks increased system specs, Incarna performance
- BioWare hires SW:TOR fansite owner
- gPotato players pitch in to help Japan relief effort
- Dual of the fates: Two class previews outline the positives and negatives of SWTOR
- Transformers Universe rolls out concept art, teaser [Updated]
- The Daily Grind: Are flying mounts bad for gameplay?
- Jade Dynasty celebrating its two-year anniversary
- Undead Labs talks about environments and the undead
- The Tattered Notebook: Leapers, gliders, and Beastlords, oh my!
- Dragon Nest closed beta launches this week
- One Shots: Standing together
- Wings Over Atreia: It's just a game...
- E3 2011: Hands-on impressions of Star Wars: The Old Republic
- Flameseeker Chronicles: Let's talk business
| Bigpoint and Mail.Ru partnering for global distribution deal Posted: 14 Jun 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Battlestar Galactica Online, Miscellaneous  Similarly, Bigpoint users will find Mail.Ru titles like GodsWar Online accessible via the Bigpoint website. Bigpoint games will also be making their way to Mail.Ru's Odnoklassniki and My World social networking services. "As successful browser-game providers, Bigpoint.com and Mail.Ru are a match made in heaven. We're happy to expand both our game portfolio and our international network of partners at the same time," said Bigpoint CEO Nils Holger Henning in a recent press release.
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| EVE dev blog talks increased system specs, Incarna performance Posted: 14 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, MMO industry, News items  Zulu says that the change is mostly directed at users with lower-end Nvidia 6000 or 7000 series graphics cards who are trying to run multiple EVE clients on a single machine (a common practice due to the number of alt accounts and the fact that only one character per account can actively skill train). "We therefore decided to temporarily add the option to not load the Incarna interiors while still retaining full access to all options and menus. This allows us to accomodate users with old and gnarly hardware [... and] also develop for those with top-of-the-line gaming computers," Zulu explains. Check out the blog entry, and the system specs, on the official EVE website.
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| BioWare hires SW:TOR fansite owner Posted: 14 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic  After speaking to some friends of Hinxman, we discovered that he had originally applied for a community management position, but BioWare liked his web-related work so much that the company decided to place him in web Q&A. The staff at Massively would like to extend its congratulations to Vall and wish him the best of luck at his new job.
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| gPotato players pitch in to help Japan relief effort Posted: 14 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, Rappelz, Miscellaneous  This hefty sum was raised through the sale of special in-game items created in response to the disaster. These items appeared in Rappelz, Flyff, Castle of Heroes and Terra Militaris. Players who purchased one of these items between March 25th and April 30th saw their money go entirely to the Red Cross. This was a part of a global effort by Gala Networks that ultimately raised over €50,000. Gala Networks Europe CEO Hyun Hur has a few words for those who participated: "We're hugely proud of the amount our players have raised for the Irish Red Cross and that our community is so kind-hearted."
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| Dual of the fates: Two class previews outline the positives and negatives of SWTOR Posted: 14 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic  The lengthy piece touches on combat, grouping (which is described as quite awkward due to the narrative focus), and BioWare's infamous penchant for NPC romance. The author concludes that TOR is worth playing if you're into single-player storytelling. "If BioWare had sacrificed the story-driven aspect of their game, there wouldn't be much reason to play The Old Republic. Other MMOs have better combat models and more impressive worlds," the magazine says. The second preview (by a different author) also features a 17-hour stint, this time at the controls of an Imperial Agent. The piece focuses on the specifics of the Agent questing experience, and also paints TOR in a more positive light. "The quest design feels reminiscent of World of Warcraft's Burning Crusade expansion [...] and the game's PvP system feels like a refined and upgraded version of Warhammer Online's," the author says. You can read the full text of both articles at PC Gamer.
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| Transformers Universe rolls out concept art, teaser [Updated] Posted: 14 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Trailers, Video, Events, real-world, Previews, Free-to-play, Browser  Energon Pub brought back the official info from the event for our eager ears. The game, which is slated for a 2012 release, will be an action MMO that allows players to craft their own Transformer to suit their playstyle. Both Autobot and Decepticon sides will be open for play, and we'll be seeing many iconic figures from the Prime Universe, including the Prime cartoon, the book Exodus, and the War for Cybertron game. You can check out the concept art below -- and don't miss the teaser video after the jump! [Update: You can also sign up for the beta on the fledgling Transformers Universe website.] Continue reading Transformers Universe rolls out concept art, teaser [Updated]
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| The Daily Grind: Are flying mounts bad for gameplay? Posted: 14 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind  The naysaying consensus seems to be that flying mounts cheapen progression-based gameplay by providing an easy way around troublesome mob spawns. That said, there's no denying the lure of unrestricted flight in our MMOs, particularly in a world as large and as topographically diverse as Norrath (and players are of course free to ignore what is essentially a new form of fast travel). For today's Daily Grind, we'd like to know your thoughts on flying mounts. Specifically, do you like them or do you feel they add more negative than positive to the MMO experience?  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!
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| Jade Dynasty celebrating its two-year anniversary Posted: 13 Jun 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play, Jade Dynasty, Promotions  While most of the special events will be running for the length of the doubled experience event, a special site has been set up for a giveaway that goes live as soon as the clock ticks over to June 15th. There's also a cosplay contest for players and a special audiocast slated for some point during the anniversary week. Jade Dynasty players should take a look at all the festivities planned, which should more than satisfy long-term veterans of the game.
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| Undead Labs talks about environments and the undead Posted: 13 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Post-Apocalyptic, Miscellaneous  While the game isn't planned to be an ornate physics simulator, there will be a practical limit to how much an individual can carry -- and while vehicles can carry more, the problems of noise and fuel will place some limits on stacking an SUV to the brim with heavy weapons. Hunting wildlife and handling aquatic environments will both be issues in the game, with the obvious caveat that humans drown far more easily than zombies. There are a lot of other interesting tidbits in the full rundown as well as some valuable takeaways that aspiring survivors would do well to internalize.
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| The Tattered Notebook: Leapers, gliders, and Beastlords, oh my! Posted: 13 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Classes, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Tattered Notebook  In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll break out the crystal ball and speculate on whether EQII is growing closer to EQ2X and whether we might in fact see the arrival of Beastlords in game. Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Leapers, gliders, and Beastlords, oh my!
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| Dragon Nest closed beta launches this week Posted: 13 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Dragon Nest  Nexon has high hopes for Dragon Nest, and the company expects the free-to-play title to be its third major American market success (after Vindictus and Dungeon Fighter Online) when it finally launches later this year. The closed beta was delayed last month (ostensibly to polish the overall experience), and you can view the fruits of Nexon's labor beginning on June 15th. That's assuming you've signed up for the beta, of course. You can also get a preview of the game courtesy of our hands-on at last week's E3 event.
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| Posted: 13 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Free-to-play, One Shots, All Points Bulletin, Crime  I'm Drayno. We're in the clan DoA (Disciples of Anarchy) playing APB: Reloaded. We are a bunch of friends from around the U.S. who met in Realtime Worlds' original APB.Are you ready to show off your guild? Gather up your best group shots of you and your guildmates. Whether you're hanging out, enjoying guild housing, taking out a huge enemy, or throwing a party, send a screenshot of your guild in action to oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game, and tell us about your guild!
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| Wings Over Atreia: It's just a game... Posted: 13 Jun 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Humor, Wings Over Atreia  I am sure many of you have on occasion heard quips about spending more of your life within a virtual world instead of the one your corporeal form inhabits. It happens. As gamers, we can become very attached -- dare I say addicted -- to our lives in the pixel realm. From scheduling appointments around Dredgion or Beshmundir Temple groups to skipping meals and sleep in a drive to meet that last goal (AP grind, anyone?), aficionados of Aion have had game commitments dictate real life. I am sure everyone here can admit to such an occurrence once in a while, if not more often. But what happens when the worlds overlap -- when the world of pixels invades the rest of your life? After some poignant experiences in my own life, I became interested in this topic and wondered whether other folks had similar happenings in their lives or I was just that weird (hush now!). So over the past few months, I have asked readers to share their experiences of how Aion has affected their lives by completing the phrase, "You know you have played Aion too much when..." Fold your wings, grab some popcorn, and settle in past the cut to chuckle over some of these interesting experiences and -- if you are brave enough -- share some of your own! Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: It's just a game...
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| E3 2011: Hands-on impressions of Star Wars: The Old Republic Posted: 13 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, New titles, Opinion, Hands-on, Massively Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage, Star Wars: The Old Republic  A few of us have played the game before, or multiple times, while this was the first time for others. Our opinions are varied, but you'll notice a fairly obvious theme. Follow along after the jump for more on what we thought of our time with SWTOR at E3 2011. Continue reading E3 2011: Hands-on impressions of Star Wars: The Old Republic
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| Flameseeker Chronicles: Let's talk business Posted: 13 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Patches, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles  Some of what I had to say prompted some heavy discussion in the comments, including my opinion that GW2 will have less competition thanks to the business model. Now, 95% of the time I laugh and move on when someone tells me that my opinions are wrong; after all, they are my opinions. It's not really a question of right or wrong. The other five percent of the time, someone will make an eloquent, well-thought-out opposing case that makes me sit back and reconsider what I've been thinking. I usually won't be completely swayed to an opposing opinion, but sometimes it can open my eyes to the merits of a different viewpoint and leave me feeling that there are some good things to be said for it. That happened this week and prompted me to do something a bit unusual: a Flameseeker Chronicles done Global Chat-style. Follow along after the break, and let's talk business (models)! Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Let's talk business
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