MMO Updates |
- Star Trek Online's Ask Cryptic featurette hints at new content
- Age of Conan offering free potion pack for all
- Massively exclusive: Luvinia Online equipment education
- ArcheAge video shows off unusual transportation options
- Jagged Alliance Online premieres new Gamescom trailer
- Muse announces Guns of Icarus, unveils CG trailer
- The Daily Grind: Have you met your online friends offline?
- Sci-fi MMO Star Legends launches on the Android OS
- Exploring the design of the newest City of Heroes powerset
- SOE releases account authenticators
- Double the epic: Aika's Epic II: Exodus goes live
- Ask Massively: Stay inside edition
- The Guild Counsel: Why The Raid is worth seeing
- One Shots: I got a fever
- Behind the Mask: Heroes vs. heroes
- New predictions for SWTOR sales: 3M units!
- Total Recall IP snagged by MMO studio SEE Virtual Worlds
- The past, present, and future of the Guild Wars 2 Sylvari
- Captain's Log: Resistance might actually be futile
| Star Trek Online's Ask Cryptic featurette hints at new content Posted: 12 Aug 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Star Trek Online  Stahl delivers some good news right off the bat, as STO is scheduled to receive several new content additions between now and the end of October. Chief among these are various Borg-related invasion events, new lore quests, the Klingon Academy zone, the duty officer system and assignments, and Feature Episode Series 4. The vast majority of the rest of the post is devoted to very specific gameplay questions and requests from STO players, and there's even a mention of the fact that Cryptic is hiring. Warp to the official STO website for all the details.
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| Age of Conan offering free potion pack for all Posted: 12 Aug 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Promotions  Every Age of Conan player will receive a free potion pack via the new in-game store, and unlike everything else in the cash shop, the bundle is free of charge. Goodies include various flavors of XP-enhancing potions (including PvP, mastery, and regular XP), a temporary PvP evade boost, and a resurrect potion. These items may only be claimed on one avatar per account, so choose wisely if you've got a ton of toons lounging about on your character select screen.
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| Massively exclusive: Luvinia Online equipment education Posted: 12 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, Free-to-play  Outspark has been gracious enough to treat us to a comprehensive introduction to how gear works in Luvinia. On top of the expected stats and rarity values, Luvinia has a few interesting ideas about how to modify gear and trade it between characters. Luvinia Online is currently in closed beta, but is heading for open beta fairly soon. Hit the jump to start your edumacation in the fine art of equipment, courtesy of the development team at Outspark. Continue reading Massively exclusive: Luvinia Online equipment education
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| ArcheAge video shows off unusual transportation options Posted: 12 Aug 2011 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, ArcheAge, Sandbox  There are a gaggle of mounts on display, and with apologies to our Korean friends who will no doubt correct us in due time, we're just going to call them like we see them. Aside from your traditional horse and rider option there's also what appears to be some sort of spotted lion as well as a curious cross between a tauntaun and a bunny rabbit. We also get a glimpse of some city-based transport systems including a steampunk-esque horse and floating carriage (with some sort of mechanical contraption filling in for the horse), as well as the hang-gliding option we saw previously in the ChinaJoy trailer. Finally, there's more footage of the famous airship that's been featured in several previous ArcheAge clips. Head past the cut to see the sights. Continue reading ArcheAge video shows off unusual transportation options
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| Jagged Alliance Online premieres new Gamescom trailer Posted: 12 Aug 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Trailers, Video, War, MMORTS, Massively Event Coverage, Miscellaneous  So begins the newest trailer for Jagged Alliance Online, gamigo's turn-based tactical RPG that features mercenaries, guns, and plenty of strategy. The trailer begins with your typical action movie setup: Rugged heroes get involved in a mission gone bad and are hung out to dry by their superiors. Rather than to roll over to die, they pick up a few thousand rounds of ammunition and head out seeking a little revenge. After the introduction, the trailer does show a few seconds of in-game footage from Jagged Alliance Online, as bodies fly when hit with bullets and explosions rule supreme. Jagged Alliance Online will be at this month's Gamescom, and get a preview of the game's convention trailer after the jump. Continue reading Jagged Alliance Online premieres new Gamescom trailer
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| Muse announces Guns of Icarus, unveils CG trailer Posted: 12 Aug 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Browser, Post-Apocalyptic  The game is built around the popular Unity engine and features a post-apocalyptic world that mixes steampunk, classic aviation, and an adventure-serial feel that evokes the seminal Xbox shooter Crimson Skies (and perhaps a gritty, aerial homage to Indiana Jones). Gameplay centers around your airship, and dev studio Muse Games says that "moving from town to town, trading and collecting resources, outfitting your ship, and battling deadly pirates" are just a few of the things you'll do. Your airship can also feature additional player crewmembers (or NPCs if you're a loner), and the game's skill and leveling system looks to make each crewman both unique and versatile. "Expect to find your pilot putting out a fire or your mechanic manning the guns at any moment," says Muse's press release. You can check out the new CG trailer as well as a brief gameplay video after the break. Continue reading Muse announces Guns of Icarus, unveils CG trailer
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| The Daily Grind: Have you met your online friends offline? Posted: 12 Aug 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  Whether you've traveled to a guild get-together, attended a gaming convention, or happen to live in the same town as your groupmates, today's Daily Grind is all about real-world meetups. Have you ever hooked up with your MMO pals in person (and if not, would you want to)?  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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| Sci-fi MMO Star Legends launches on the Android OS Posted: 11 Aug 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, Launches, New titles, Free-to-play  "When we launched Pocket Legends on Android we were blown away by the response from the community. Android has since become the leading revenue driver and our primary focus. It is so easy to publish apps on their Market that it became a no-brainer for us to flip the standard mobile game strategy on its head and launch on Android before any other OS."Star Legends boasts hours of gameplay -- via wi-fi, Edge, 3G, or 4G connections on Android 2.0 and above mobile devices -- with three customizable classes, character progression, guilds, and chat. These items, Spacetime says, are usually reserved for PC MMOs. Screenshots of this innovative game are displayed below, and the brief trailer for the game is tucked behind the break! Continue reading Sci-fi MMO Star Legends launches on the Android OS
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| Exploring the design of the newest City of Heroes powerset Posted: 11 Aug 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Game mechanics, News items, Free-to-play  As Temporal Manipulation is a set for Defenders, Corruptors, and Controllers, it's no surprise that there's a solid mix of debuffs and buffs for players to explore. In addition, Temporal Manipulation allows players to juggle a specific set of buffs and debuffs, with certain powers Delaying enemies or Accelerating allies and certain other powers having additional effects on those who are Delayed or Accelerated. The document also contains advice for players once the powers go live -- a bit far in the future, perhaps, but this would be the set where that's appropriate.
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| SOE releases account authenticators Posted: 11 Aug 2011 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous  SOE's authenticator may be used on multiple Station accounts, and for now at least, is shipping out sans handling charges (even for overseas orders). EQ2Wire also has a handy and detailed guide to the new authenticators from last month's Fan Faire, and the website notes that free iOS and Android security apps will be forthcoming at an as-yet unannounced date.
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| Double the epic: Aika's Epic II: Exodus goes live Posted: 11 Aug 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Aika  Aika, gPotato's free-to-play MMORPG, just got a lot more epic, as the game's Epic II: Exodus just arrived. The latest chapter brings a heapin' helpin' of new content to the game, including new zones, new instances, new loot, and perhaps most importantly, new things to kill. The story of Epic II sees players fleeing from the current world to the island of Traband. The local tribes, however, are none too happy about that and rise up against the players, and the treacherous Dark Legion is behind it all. Players, of course, will have to put a stop to the Legion's nefarious practices. In order to do just that, players will have to take advantage of the increased level cap, which now sits pretty at level 75. Players will also be able to take part in Aika's signature 1000 vs. 1000 PvP battles in order to vie for control of Traband's mystic towers. Control of the towers provides a player's nation with immunity from the harsh conditions of the island as well as granting access to an additional area. Lastly, players will have access to a new dungeon known as Lycan's Cave. This labyrinthine cavern system provides players with the choice of which path to take, with different bosses awaiting them at the end of each route. What other challenges await players on the island of Traband? Well, there's only one way to find out.
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| Ask Massively: Stay inside edition Posted: 11 Aug 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Video, MMO industry, Opinion, Massively meta, Ask Massively, Livestream, Miscellaneous  In other news, please enjoy the earbug that's infected the entirety of the Massively staff on the day this was written. In other other news, it's time for this week's installment of Ask Massively, addressing significantly less weighty issues than last week's gold selling question. No, this week we're talking about old livestream videos, the reason for the non-ubiquity of authenticators, and of course, the great outdoors. If you've got a question you'd like to see answered in a future edition of the column, leave it in the comments or send it along to ask@massively.com. Continue reading Ask Massively: Stay inside edition
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| The Guild Counsel: Why The Raid is worth seeing Posted: 11 Aug 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Guilds, Endgame, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous  But is the mixed review simply the cynical gamer at his best, or is it legit? In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll take a closer look at The Raid, and I'll explain why I think it's definitely worth seeing. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Why The Raid is worth seeing
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| Posted: 11 Aug 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Guild Wars 2, One Shots  The quest is called "More Cowbell." Eurus has a magical cowbell that will ward off the plague, but he was attacked and dropped it in a nearby bed of blue oysters. If you accept the quest to find it for him, talking to him again will trigger his plea: "Please, Cantha is rife with plague and the only inoculation is my blessed cowbell!" The only cure is more cowbell, so off you go to find it.We're celebrating pop culture in our MMOs this week. Developers sneak references in all over games, whether it be via NPCs, quests, or items, and we want to see your favorites. Grab a screenshot, tell us a bit about what it is, and send it to oneshots@massively.com. We'll be featuring the best of these all week. It's also time to start thinking about next week's One Shots theme, and we'll be revisiting an old favorite: environments. Snap a screenshot of your favorite MMO vista and send it in, and we'll feature it on One Shots next week!
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| Behind the Mask: Heroes vs. heroes Posted: 11 Aug 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Champions Online, Behind the Mask  Because most CO players are more casual players (in the sense that they don't plan builds and tend to pick powers that are "fun" or "cool"), they often get quite upset when they are defeated by an optimized PvP build. Most players I know tend to assume that the FoTM builds are unbeatable and that the only way to beat them is to join them. Experienced PvPers know that this just isn't the case. It is true that an optimized PvP build is a necessity, but the actual optimization can take on many forms. There are dozens of effective "win buttons" in Champions' PvP out of a couple hundred powers. Out of dozens of possible kill methods, picking one and supplementing it with logical choices and personal flavor is a snap. Continue reading Behind the Mask: Heroes vs. heroes
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| New predictions for SWTOR sales: 3M units! Posted: 11 Aug 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic  Gamasutra reports that Cowen and Company originally predicted sales of the Star Wars MMO to be approximately 1.5 million units with subscription retention at about 1 million players. However, Cowen and Company has now increased that prediction to 3 million unit sold in the first year with 2 million steady subscribers. With EA taking few other risks this season, it spells high hopes for anyone investing in the game developer. However, if anyone is keeping score at home, that number is still below the 4.7 million sales of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm -- though it's quickly catching up.
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| Total Recall IP snagged by MMO studio SEE Virtual Worlds Posted: 11 Aug 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Entropia Universe, MMO industry, News items, Planet Calypso  Planet Michael creator SEE Virtual Worlds has announced that it is now the proud owner of even more well-known intellectual properties. The studio now owns the rights to Men in Black 3, Total Recall (the remake, bleh), Asterix, War of the Worlds, and Waterworld. Whether the studio will turn these properties into MMOs as well, however, remains to be seen. CEO Martin Ballas said only, "These properties are tied to memorable moments and incredible characters that players are going to interact with in future SEE-created digital and online interactive video games." SEE Virtual Worlds, however, has purchased Planet Calypso for a staggering $6 million, which could hint at a possible Total Recall-themed online destination. Before long, you just may be able to hop online and shout at your party, "Get your ass to Mars!"
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| The past, present, and future of the Guild Wars 2 Sylvari Posted: 11 Aug 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Guild Wars 2, Races  Jeff talks quite a bit about the history and origin of the Sylvari, touching on several elements that can be found in the current Guild Wars game, such as Ventari, Ronan, and familiar enemies and locations. He also presents some insight into the race's lifestyle, varying personalities, rulers, and more. Finally, he looks at some of the challenges facing the Sylvari, both from within and without. Check out the new video below along with new media from the Sylvari starting area, and read Jeff's full entry at the ArenaNet Guild Wars 2 page. Continue reading The past, present, and future of the Guild Wars 2 Sylvari
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| Captain's Log: Resistance might actually be futile Posted: 11 Aug 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log  Hello, computer (and players)! They're mean, they're green(ish), and they are of a collective mind... they are the Borg, and resistance is futile. As most of you know, the Federation's most feared enemy plays a major part in Star Trek Online, and while the Borg are the current endgame "baddie," players find themselves on a daily basis in situations that force them to avoid assimilation. Be they in Deep Space Encounters (DSEs), Special Task Forces (STFs), or random explore missions, the Borg are out there and planning an invasion into the Alpha Quadrant. Bad news, Captains -- their plans are about to come to realization. Later this month, the Borg Fleet Intercepts are scheduled to commence, and as the Borg take up their offensive stance, players of all ranks are going to be called to the front lines. Since this is the first "global combat event" the game has ever had (not including one during beta), players are excited to see what is in store and what they're up against. Luckily, being a member of Section 31, I was able to gain access to some secret intelligence that contains the Borg's plans, and Captain's Log is about to let you in on them so you know how to organize your counterattack. Ensign, warp 10! Let's prepare our readers for the impending invasion... Continue reading Captain's Log: Resistance might actually be futile
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