MMO Updates |
- The Game Archaeologist uncovers Shadowbane: Talking with Josef Hall and Todd Coleman, part 2
- Gates of Andaron update to feature mentoring, three faction PvP
- Wurm Online to open new PvE server 'Deliverance' -- commence land rush!
- PAX 2011: RIFT sifts through the Ashes of History
- The Soapbox: Subs and cash shops - Two great tastes that taste awful together
- The Daily Grind: Are tiny races persecuted?
- While waiting to rez, please see this word from our sponsor
- Star Wars Galaxies puts the end of the saga in the hands of the players
- Not So Massively: PAX trailers edition
- Lost Pages of Taborea: Customization in Guild Wars 2 and Runes of Magic
- Wings Over Atreia: Hunting Haramel
- TERA implementing chronoscrolls to combat gold farming
- Funcom opens Secret World beta registration... really
- Flameseeker Chronicles: PAX 2011 travel diary
- Guild Wars 2 to provide private server functionality?
- One Shots: Welcome to bug week!
- PAX 2011: Massively's hands-on with the Guild Wars 2 Asura
- Scarlet Legacy prepping mammoth beta update for September 1st
- EVE Online Incarna patch 1.1 coming September 1st
- Land of Chaos Online celebrates first anniversary with free stuff
- Darkfall blog talks crafting update, forthcoming relaunch timeline
| The Game Archaeologist uncovers Shadowbane: Talking with Josef Hall and Todd Coleman, part 2 Posted: 30 Aug 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Interviews, MMO industry, Shadowbane, Free-to-play, The Game Archaeologist  The Game Archaeologist: What was the reason behind the free-to-play switch in 2006? Did this help the game's population any? Josef Hall: Todd and I left Wolfpack shortly after it was acquired by Ubisoft, so we don't really have insight into the decision-making process behind the switch. Todd Coleman: From what I have heard, it had a very positive impact on the size of the player population -- but yeah, I have no idea what it meant to the game monetarily.
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| Gates of Andaron update to feature mentoring, three faction PvP Posted: 30 Aug 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play  The new Rise of Gor update will debut in September, and the patch introduces the Gor faction to challenge the existing Valorian and Derion forces. Starting at level 80, Gor players may enter "large PvP battles, tipping the balance of power for or against the underdogs in a given battle." The update isn't all endgame, though, as the newbie town of Tebekut is being recreated and will include "the most impressive graphics yet." The mentoring system will also ease new players into the game (and mentors even receive a payout when their charges reach level 90). Gates of Andaron is free-to-play, and you'll want to head to the official site to learn more and grab the client.
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| Wurm Online to open new PvE server 'Deliverance' -- commence land rush! Posted: 30 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Wurm Online, Free-to-play  The server will be named Deliverance (oh, now you get the header image), and will only be accessible through the tutorial portal or the southern edge of the existing Freedom Independence server. So if you're interested in scoping out the newest and best land for your Wurm Online village, get your settlement token ready at 12 p.m EDT on the 6th and good luck!
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| PAX 2011: RIFT sifts through the Ashes of History Posted: 30 Aug 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, Patches, Massively Event Coverage, RIFT  Generally, the devs were pleased to see the crowds pack around Trion's booth, especially since playable stations were always full. They noted that many current RIFT players came to log into their accounts and show off the game to newcomers. Patch 1.5 was a major focus of the interview, and Ffinch and Hanlin said that casual players should rejoice at its approach. Tentatively scheduled for September, 1.5 will include the new Chronicles system that has solo or duoing players exploring hand-crafted instances. These instances are designed to be "snapshots" of the larger raids they're associated with, and will give both casuals and raiders a better glimpse into the lore behind the setting. For example, the Hammerknell Chronicle will tell the story of how the king and prince become corrupted. The patch, which is called Ashes of History, will also include instant adventures ("We are removing barriers from people playing together," Hanlin promised), the new planar attunement trees ("It's the players beginning to start taking controls of the powers of the planes," Ffinch explained), and the super-tough "master mode" for dungeons. It's interesting to note that this patch is setting the groundwork for the exploration of a larger Telara, as players will begin to find and renovate items that will eventually allow them to head to new zones. Hit the jump to watch the full interview! Continue reading PAX 2011: RIFT sifts through the Ashes of History
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| The Soapbox: Subs and cash shops - Two great tastes that taste awful together Posted: 30 Aug 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Culture, Economy, MMO industry, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous  Hoo boy, The Secret World. On the one hand, I was really looking forward to it. On the other hand, it's now joined the likes of EVE Online, pretty much every Sony Online Entertainment title ever made, Star Trek Online, Champions Online, and Funcom's own Age of Conan in my personal double-dipping doghouse. Yeah, The Secret World is going to have a subscription model (hooray) and a cash shop (boo, hiss, and zomgwtf). This should surprise no one, really, since game industry devs have been going all Gordon Gekko on us for a while now, but it was nonetheless a disappointing reveal on several levels. Equally disappointing are the folks who defend the subscription-plus-cash-shop model and erroneously refer to it as an example of consumer-friendly choice. Continue reading The Soapbox: Subs and cash shops - Two great tastes that taste awful together
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| The Daily Grind: Are tiny races persecuted? Posted: 30 Aug 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Races, Miscellaneous  So what is it about short races that drives good men and women to near-madness? Is it their tenacity at overcoming odds? Their propensity for kicking shins? Or their "ooh lookit the cute widdle fella!" adorability? It's hard to say, although this writer personally loves them. So chew on that, tallies! But that's not today's question; today's question is whether or not you think short races in MMOs have become persecuted, to an extent. Are they unfairly targeted just because of what they are, and if so, does that mean we've traded real-world prejudices for virtual ones?  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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| While waiting to rez, please see this word from our sponsor Posted: 29 Aug 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Game mechanics, Browser, Kids, Family  According to a recent interview with [a]listdaily, CEO Adam Bohn says that response has been good so far. The game network's 12 to 13 million users are happy with the ads because Artix likes to keep them fun for a younger audience. Despite the fact that this has been done before in games like Shadowbane, and the deceased Dungeon Runners to a lesser extent, Bohn believes the ads are a good idea that they'll eventually build upon. I think if nothing else, it will make us want to die a whole lot less.
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| Star Wars Galaxies puts the end of the saga in the hands of the players Posted: 29 Aug 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Star Wars Galaxies  At least, that's what SOE hopes as Star Wars Galaxies' devs map out the final few months for this sunsetting MMO. Instead of weeping into a glass of strange blue milk, the team is issuing a challenge to the Imperials or Rebels. The stakes? The fate of the galaxy, once and for all. SOE is ramping up the Galactic Civil War in the game, by adding new events and opportunities to win points for your respective side. The Civil War got a little bigger with the recent GU20 update that put the war footing on an interplanetary scale. At some point before the December 15th shutdown, the game will tally up the score and determine who won -- for all time. Depending on which side comes out victorious, the ending of the game itself will change. If you're a neutral party, don't worry; SOE is making sure that you can participate in shutdown events as well. Take note, as only players that subscribe or have an account in good standing prior to September 15th can participate in this final battle, since registration -- and game charges -- will cease after that date.
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| Not So Massively: PAX trailers edition Posted: 29 Aug 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, New titles, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Not So Massively  It's PAX week, and that means there are plenty of new game trailers to show off. In this week's Not So Massively, we check out the latest Firefall and Blacklight: Retribution trailers and hear about Bloodline Champions' impending release in Russia. Riot Games revealed new details on its upcoming Dominion game mode this week and announced that over 2.4 million League of Legends fans tuned in to last week's Gamescom livestream to check out the tournament and Dominion preview. League of Legends released its new melee assassin champion Talon this week, while Heroes of Newerth finally released Geomancer, the winner of last year's intelligence hero design contest. Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other online games that aren't quite MMOs. Continue reading Not So Massively: PAX trailers edition
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| Lost Pages of Taborea: Customization in Guild Wars 2 and Runes of Magic Posted: 29 Aug 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Game mechanics, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic, Lost Pages of Taborea  Runes of Magic has been chugging along for over two years now, while GW2 is -- sort of -- just around the corner, and Guild Wars is the veteran of the bunch at six years of age. What do these MMOs have in common that would provoke me to attempt a comparison? I'll give you a hint: It has nothing to do with jumping. What they do share is character customization, which, really, many MMOs have. It's a pretty standard feature. In this week's Lost Pages of Taborea, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at how RoM could have taken some customization cues from GW, while GW2 might be taking some from RoM -- sort of like a movie based off a show based off a movie. Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Customization in Guild Wars 2 and Runes of Magic
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| Wings Over Atreia: Hunting Haramel Posted: 29 Aug 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia, Guides, Dungeons  Some would have you believe that life in Aion begins at level 55. Others say endgame is at 50 (to dominate in Dredgion) or at 35 (to maximize the rifting experience). Content may even seem geared only toward these higher levels; this can leave Daevalings little but to hope they acquire levels and power at a break-neck pace in order to participate, a concept that may not be appetizing to newer players just starting the game. Well hogwash and poppycock! Don't listen to those nattering old naysayers -- NCsoft has not left the lowest-level players out in the cold when it comes it content. In fact, of the three solo instances introduced in Assault on Balaurea, one was designed specifically for the freshly ascended crowd. Catering to levels 18-22, Haramel offers the same benefits of the other instances -- namely, loot and XP sans group -- with the added bonuses of small time commitment and helping new Daevas become more comfortable with the game. Zone in past the cut for Wings Over Atreia's guide to a Daeva's first instance: Haramel. Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Hunting Haramel
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| TERA implementing chronoscrolls to combat gold farming Posted: 29 Aug 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA  A new dev blog released over the weekend outlines the introduction of chronoscrolls, and those of you who are familiar with EVE Online's PLEX system will probably see several parallels between the two mechanics. "If you've never purchased gold, and you're wondering why this new chronoscrolls system is a good addition to the game, consider this: Whether chronoscrolls exist or not, other players are buying gold from real-money traders. By creating the opportunity for players who already buy gold to purchase it legitimately, we help eliminate the incentive for real-money traders to target TERA," says producer Patrick Wyatt.
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| Funcom opens Secret World beta registration... really Posted: 29 Aug 2011 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, Culture, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Secret World  Frankly, who cares, because as of today you can actually register! The catch is that it requires a Facebook account, so if you're of the opinion that the ubiquitous social networking site is run by evil Illuminati operatives hellbent on destroying your privacy and taking over the free world, well, you're right. But you'll just have to put up with that if you want to If you haven't figured it out yet, this ain't your granddaddy's beta, and admission to Funcom's horror-conspiracy MMO starts with a personality test, a faction choice, and all manner of ARG-related shenanigans designed to move the hype meter into the stratosphere. Head to the game's official website to check it out.
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| Flameseeker Chronicles: PAX 2011 travel diary Posted: 29 Aug 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles  Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: PAX 2011 travel diary
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| Guild Wars 2 to provide private server functionality? Posted: 29 Aug 2011 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, PvE, Guild Wars 2, Roleplaying  Yeah, we did a double-take as well, and the post over on MMORPG.com is pretty light on the actual details while promising more info later in the week. Apparently, ArenaNet's Colin Johanson and Eric Flannum let slip that GW2 will allow players to "create and host their own servers or games with specific rule-sets as well." The thread title mentions PvP servers, but the "specific rule-sets" bit above seems to indicate that the mechanic could cater to roleplayers, PvEers, or any number of other specialized groups who desire a customizable play experience apart from the meddling masses. Is Guild Wars 2 following the trail that Neverwinter Nights blazed a decade ago? Is it all a misunderstanding? It looks like we'll find out later this week.
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| One Shots: Welcome to bug week! Posted: 29 Aug 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Free-to-play, One Shots, All Points Bulletin, Crime  In APB, getting run over by a teammate normally means instant death. However, getting a teammate's car to diagonally crush you can lead to an awkward fusion of your character's body and the pavement. It's all fun and games until you're only a head and arms.We'll be revisiting an old favorite of One Shots this week: bug week. Whether it's unwanted guests in cutscenes, funny graphic glitches, or a prank you played on a buddy, we want to see. Send your screenshots in to oneshots@massively.com and we'll feature them in next week's One Shots!
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| PAX 2011: Massively's hands-on with the Guild Wars 2 Asura Posted: 29 Aug 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Previews, PvE, Guild Wars 2, Hands-on, Races  ArenaNet has returned to its home turf and was presenting the demo at PAX this weekend, and I had the privilege of diving into the game's new content. Follow along after the jump for the latest look at the Guild Wars 2 demo! Continue reading PAX 2011: Massively's hands-on with the Guild Wars 2 Asura
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| Scarlet Legacy prepping mammoth beta update for September 1st Posted: 29 Aug 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Patches, Free-to-play  This September 1st content update includes, but is not limited to, an increase in level cap to 45, dozens of new skills, 12 additional stances, three more maps, 68 quests, 46 crafting recipes, 154 weapons and pieces of armor, eight pets, high-level events, and a partridge in a pear tree. Well, maybe not the partridge. It's hard to say which part of the content update is most enticing, although our money is on the three new maps with intriguing names like Hidden Evil Island and Ancient Grave. There's also a virgin dungeon that's ready to be plundered for its goodies: Soul Trapping Matrix. For story lovers, the tale of Princess Scarlet will be extended up through level 45 to match the level cap increase. GamesCampus vows to release similarly large updates "at least once a month" from here on out.
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| EVE Online Incarna patch 1.1 coming September 1st Posted: 29 Aug 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Patches  With the patch comes an update to EVE Gate, with nifty features like activity notifications to keep you abreast of the news and personalized backgrounds. The forums are getting an overhaul as well and will include search options, the ability to "like" posts, utilize quick replies, and other essential tools. The soon-to-be old forums will be locked and archived for future posterity. While 1.1 players won't be able to leave their captain's quarters just yet, the screens and menus in the room are being spruced up and a few other bugs quashed. Other features included in the patch are customizable API keys, the ability for third-party applications to access contract updates, and numerous tiny (but important!) fixes to the game.
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| Land of Chaos Online celebrates first anniversary with free stuff Posted: 29 Aug 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, MMORTS  LOCO blends action, real-time strategy, and traditional MMORPG progression together with third-person shooter elements and a matchmaking format similar to Defense of the Ancients. The formula is apparently working pretty well, as the game has attracted over 530,000 registered players in the past year, according to a new press release. More info on the game is available at the official website, and you can also download the client and start playing for free.
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| Darkfall blog talks crafting update, forthcoming relaunch timeline Posted: 29 Aug 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Sandbox  So anyway, crafting. In a nutshell, the new Darkfall tradeskilling system places greater importance on rare ore, unique item appearance, more customization options, and "more opportunities to excel as a crafter." The new system will offer mastery skills as well as a choice between six distinctive base designs for each weapon type. You can read all about it at the game's official website, linked below.
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