MMO Updates |
- Newest Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter addresses design philosophy and summer events
- End of Nations video features factions and explosions
- LotRO gives us a glimpse into Isengard's Dunland
- ArcheAge video shows six minutes of scenery
- Ultima Online begins testing Publish 71.0
- Massively's exclusive TERA lore: Remember in Vein
- The Daily Grind: What's your favorite summer zone?
- Forsaken World update bringing mounted combat, level increase, and more
- Troy Online announces open beta
- Star Trek Online's Dine with the Devs event details
- The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Mythica
- TERA play diary takes you to the Oblivion Woods
- One Shots: And the rocket's red glare
- Final Fantasy XIV previews upcoming outposts
- Hyperspace Beacon: Podcast race
- The Soapbox: In defense of consequence
- New PlanetSide 2 screenshots show troops in action
- MMObility: Creating a hidden-object mobile MMO
- Square Enix invites Championship Manager into the MMO club
| Newest Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter addresses design philosophy and summer events Posted: 20 Jul 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV  Most of this installment of the producer's letter is given over discussion about the design philosophy of the game, both for this week's patch 1.18 and moving forward. As Yoshida puts it, he wants to create the feeling for players that the game will be accessible on each individual's schedule, with accommodations for players who can only play for a little while each day as well as those with more time to enjoy the game. Take a look at the full post for a clear picture of how the philosophy applies to Final Fantasy XIV's combat, transport, and future content. There's also a new interview available from the Eorzeapedia team covering content in 1.19 and beyond.
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| End of Nations video features factions and explosions Posted: 20 Jul 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Trailers, Video, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items, MMORTS  Today, Trion and Petroglyph have released a three-minute trailer for the game that touches on the lore behind the opposing player factions. The clip also features more explosions than your average Michael Bay film, but we'll get to that in a minute. The Liberation Front and the Shadow Revolution factions are mortal enemies who share a common goal: the destruction of the tyrannical Order of Nations. Said destruction involves a lot of things blowing up, and despite the fact that the video features a few talking heads pontificating on factional lore, the focus is on gameplay-related mayhem. Helicopters, tanks, and even closing title screens are liable to burst into flaming fireballs at any moment, and fans of gratuitous military violence will no doubt want to click past the cut to check out the full trailer. Continue reading End of Nations video features factions and explosions
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| LotRO gives us a glimpse into Isengard's Dunland Posted: 20 Jul 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Previews, Free-to-play  Dunland is located at the southern reaches of the Misty Mountains, with hilly, swampy and woodsy areas awaiting our discovery. The zone is dominated by the many clans of the Dunland peoples who are being tempted by Saruman into joining the forces of the Enemy. We've got a little over two months to go until LotRO's latest expansion hits the streets, so take your time to peruse all six of these new screenshots in the gallery below:
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| ArcheAge video shows six minutes of scenery Posted: 20 Jul 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, ArcheAge  Fortunately, our friends at AAPortal are parceling out various bits of video footage captured during CBT3. Last week we got a look at an ArcheAge cityscape by way of a parkour clip, and today we're treated to a six-minute montage of the game's stunning scenery. The footage takes us on a journey across tranquil meadows, arid deserts, and rocky shorelines, and even along for the ride as a player chases an airship (and later boards it, leading to some spectacular high-altitude nighttime vistas). Head past the cut to check it out, and mosey on over to AAportal for the source post. Continue reading ArcheAge video shows six minutes of scenery
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| Ultima Online begins testing Publish 71.0 Posted: 20 Jul 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Ultima Online  Yesterday, the highly anticipated Publish 71.0 was pushed to the test server for players to tinker around and explore. The patch notes tell a tale of many, many balance changes and tweaks, along with plenty of brand-new buff icons. Fishing's also been treated to somewhat of an overhaul with the patch, as additional trophies are being installed and schools of magical fish will begin to move around in order to keep you guessing. There's even a special sea encounter with Charybdis that is only available to dedicated fishermen. To check out all of the nitty-gritty details and bug fixes that are coming with 71.0, head on over to Ultima Online to read the notes!
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| Massively's exclusive TERA lore: Remember in Vein Posted: 20 Jul 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, TERA  Penned by lead writer David Noonan, this Day in the Life installment is called Remember in Vein and concerns the fearsome vulcans. TERA vulcans are quite a bit different from the vulcans familiar to most sci-fi and fantasy fans, though the former do have pointy (if rather large) ears. Head past the cut to read the lore and get a glimpse of our exclusive screenshots. Continue reading Massively's exclusive TERA lore: Remember in Vein
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| The Daily Grind: What's your favorite summer zone? Posted: 20 Jul 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  Sanctum in RIFT feels like a wonderful "summer" zone to me, kind of like a resort town that happens to train and equip armies of mercenaries as a side project. I love looking down at the sparkling ocean, listening to the cries of the gulls, and feeling my stress wash away. Level? Who needs to level? Bring me another Mai Tai, garçon! So in the spirit of summer, today we'd like to get your thoughts on your favorite summer zones in MMOs. Which zones exude the languid tone of vacation to you? If you had to retire on a virtual beach somewhere, where would it be? And how would you deal with the raving hordes of cannibal chimps?  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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| Forsaken World update bringing mounted combat, level increase, and more Posted: 19 Jul 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play  The patch is also bringing a new hunting festival and a "pet-catching" dungeon to Forsaken World, as well as level three guild base unlocks and a level cap increase (from 70 to 80). Finally, players will be able to fight more efficiently thanks to mounted combat, as well as send their pets on daily quest errands. Read all about the Chains of Kluer update at the official Forsaken World website.
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| Troy Online announces open beta Posted: 19 Jul 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play  ALT1 Games is kicking off Troy's open beta phase on August 12th, and the testing period will be used primarily to finalize features, balance, and latency issues. The open beta will also see all quests and quest arcs, the maximum level cap, and all available zones introduced to the live game in order to get ready for the impending commercial release. You can read more about Troy, as well as register for an account and a beta slot, at the game's official website.
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| Star Trek Online's Dine with the Devs event details Posted: 19 Jul 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, Star Trek Online  Priority One, the STO podcast for which I am Executive Producer, will be hosting the first ever Dine with the Devs event this Friday evening, July 22nd. While not affiliated with Massively, this casual meet-up will take place off-site at a local restaurant in the San Diego area. As we dine on the patio, the devs in attendance will be answering players' questions about the game and explaining their roles on the project. It is important to note that each attendees' expenses are their own responsibility. For more information, including location and time, visit the information page.
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| The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Mythica Posted: 19 Jul 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Culture, Legal, The Game Archaeologist  True Fantasy Live Online had a bumpy ride with the studio, Marvel Universe Online circled the drain faster than my morning shower, and the less said about its relationship with Vanguard's development, the better. But there was yet another aborted project that Microsoft jumped into -- and then back out of -- between 2003 and 2004, and in my opinion, it was the one the company should've stuck out to completion. I remember when Microsoft first announced Mythica, because I thought "This is gonna be cool." Vikings, Norse mythology, gods made flesh, and a big-name studio funding limitless adventures. In the pre-World of Warcraft era, the field was wide open for a company to come up and rival Sony Online Entertainment for the crown, so why not this one? But... cold water, skittish toes, and another MMO kicked the bucket before it saw the light of its first day. Take my hand (don't worry, I washed today) and we shall travel back to Ragnarök and beyond! Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Mythica
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| TERA play diary takes you to the Oblivion Woods Posted: 19 Jul 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA, Dev Diaries  This time, the pair are causing all sorts of trouble in and around TERA's Oblivion Woods, and there's a bit of discussion about new spells (including AoE heals and a crowd-control ability known as Ishara's lullaby). As per usual with the community play diary series, there are also several gorgeous screenshots to be had, so head to the official TERA website and have a look.
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| One Shots: And the rocket's red glare Posted: 19 Jul 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Fallen Earth, One Shots, Post-Apocalyptic  I'm a huge fan of the guns in Fallen Earth, and this Omega Arms Valkyrie will literally blast your face off. It looks a bit odd on a scrap-armored CHOTA, but I'm willing to break immersion to melt some faces. All this week, we Massively writers are spotlighting some of our personal favorite One Shots. What exciting stories revolve around our screenshots? Stay tuned to find out. Next week, after staff picks week, will be free-for-all week for you, our readers. Send any eye-catching, beautiful, scary, or generally epic screenshot to oneshots@massively.com, and we'll pick the best of the best for next week's One Shots!
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| Final Fantasy XIV previews upcoming outposts Posted: 19 Jul 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, Consoles, Virtual worlds, Final Fantasy XIV  Each of the outposts listed highlight the environment of the nearby city-state -- the outposts in Gridania are concerned with hunting and maintaining security in the wood, while Ul'dah's settlements focus on more mercantile and mineral concerns. In addition to the stops for adventurers, beastman settlements are said to be on the plate for patch 1.18 later this week. Final Fantasy XIV players who can't wait to see the new hubs can take a look at the preview for a glimpse at the expanding and improving environment.
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| Hyperspace Beacon: Podcast race Posted: 19 Jul 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon  Although it's not unique for a game to have a podcast revolving around it, Star Wars: The Old Republic is gifted with a very large audience, and with that an exorbitant number of fans willing to devote time to making a podcast. We have already mentioned the podcasts of Darth Hater, TOROcast, and Mos Eisley Radio in the past, but since then there has been slue of new podcast that are giving these other guys a run for their money. After the break, I will introduce you to some of the newer shows that I enjoy or maybe one of those those who I believe has really stepped up the game since the last time I've talked about them. Start up the holoprojector and follow me! Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Podcast race
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| The Soapbox: In defense of consequence Posted: 19 Jul 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, PvP, PvE, Opinion, The Soapbox  Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I've gathered you here today to present to you a defense for a feature that has been all but forgotten in recent MMOs, and which tends to solicit uproar from entire communities if it's so much as mentioned. That feature, as you may have guessed from the title, is consequence. One of the things that initially drew me to Massively, and inadvertently led to my writing for them, was Sera Brennan's columns, which frequently covered the topic of persistence in MMOs. I'm a die-hard, borderline militant advocate of increasing the levels of persistence in games, and I feel that implementing consequences for players' actions is a huge part of taking MMOs from generally mindless games to true persistent worlds. "But Matt," you say, "I don't want a persistent world. The one I live in is hard enough as it is! I just want to play a game and unwind, not have to master goblin economical theory as it relates to the sociopolitical climate of an imaginary universe." And that's just peachy! There are dozens of games on the market tailored to players such as yourself, but only a select handful tailored to players such as myself who desire a more immersive world to live in during their spare time. The incoming rant, obviously, is geared toward that type of player. Continue reading The Soapbox: In defense of consequence
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| New PlanetSide 2 screenshots show troops in action Posted: 19 Jul 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, PlanetSide, Previews, MMOFPS, Planetside 2  These PlanetSide 2 pics show armor-clad soldiers getting into position for action. It's interesting to note the distinctive colors that will surely help teammates differentiate friend from foe. We heard a lot about this sequel to SOE's PlanetSide at Fan Faire, including the trailer, a general overview of the game, and an in-depth look with the developers. You can eyeball the new pics in the gallery below!
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| MMObility: Creating a hidden-object mobile MMO Posted: 19 Jul 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Trailers, Video, Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, Mobile, Casual, MMObility  It was just a trial, but it was very relaxing. The music was nice and the puzzles were challenging but not mind-crushing, and my wife would look over my shoulder once in a while to point out one of the objects or to help solve a puzzle. It really got me to thinking: could a hidden-object MMO be created for the mobile market? I think it could. Click past the cut and let's discuss it. Continue reading MMObility: Creating a hidden-object mobile MMO
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| Square Enix invites Championship Manager into the MMO club Posted: 19 Jul 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sports, MMO industry, New titles, Miscellaneous  The studio announced today that it will be publishing Championship Manager: World of Football, a free-to-play browser-based title for sports fanatics. Developed by Beautiful Game Studios and Shanda Games, Championship Manager will initially launch in China with a possible international release later down the road. A beta for the title is to be announced shortly. This is a further indication of the shape of the partnership between Square Enix and Shanda Games, which we reported on last year. The Championship Manager franchise dates back to 1992, with recent versions created by Beautiful Game Studios.
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