MMO Updates |
- Bigpoint buys out sports game development firm
- Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond prepares to plumb the depths of space for adventure
- Massively Exclusive: RIFT - Drowning in Snow, Chapter IV
- Wargaming.net publishes World of Tanks development plan
- MV Guide: September 12-18, 2011
- The Daily Grind: How do you deal with class overload?
- Week in Review: Smuggle this
- EVE Evolved: Expansions, not excuses
- One Shots: Maybe she'll sing!
- Rise and Shiny recap: Drakensang Online
| Bigpoint buys out sports game development firm Posted: 12 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous  49Games is Bigpoint's latest acquisition, and the former is best-known for its winter sports games on the Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 consoles. 49Games is based in Germany (as is its new parent), and boasts around 40 developers. Bigpoint now features over 700 devs and says that it is the "world's largest browser-based online game provider" thanks to more than 200 million registered users. Bigpoint is best known for its Battlestar Galactica MMO, as well as its controversial stance on selling in-game advantages.
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| Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond prepares to plumb the depths of space for adventure Posted: 12 Sep 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Real life, Sci-fi, Interviews, Previews, Astronaut: Moon, Mars, and Beyond  While NASA's shuttle mission may be over and the International Space Station's future in doubt, there is one place that space exploration is moving forward: online. Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond is looking more promising by the day, especially now that the team has secured almost $40,000 via Kickstarter to help fund the project. So why did NASA agree to an MMO of all things? Daniel Laughlin, project manager of NASA's Learning Technologies, sees the two as having a lot in common. Talking with Universe Today, Laughlin said, "Based on the existing literature as well as my own experiences gaming, an MMO was the logical choice for a game project for NASA." While NASA is partnered with the development team, the space agency is not funding the game -- hence the use of Kickstarter to raise money for Astronaut. It takes place in 2035 as mankind is just starting to colonize the solar system, and promises to use real physics and technology to simulate these efforts. Khal Shariff says that players should expect a lot of crafting, use of proper gear, and missions that flow together for a bigger storyline. Interestingly enough, it seems that even NASA has room for a few new heroes. "We have protagonists in the game, and I won't say much about them, because I don't want to spoil the opening scene of Chapter One," Shariff said. He hopes that players will enjoy the melding of science fiction with science fact: "We want you to sit down and curl up with one session and have a feeling like you had when you read the best short science fiction stories, especially like those of Clarke. There is plenty of adventure to plumb."
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| Massively Exclusive: RIFT - Drowning in Snow, Chapter IV Posted: 12 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Lore, RIFT  Sit back and enjoy the drama after the break! Continue reading Massively Exclusive: RIFT - Drowning in Snow, Chapter IV
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| Wargaming.net publishes World of Tanks development plan Posted: 12 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Real life, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, War, Free-to-play, World of Tanks, Miscellaneous  The post lays out quite a bit of information, most of it marked with vague release windows like Q3 2012 and so on. There's the standard "dates are subject to change" disclaimer, but it's nonetheless interesting to see what looks to be a fairly complete development schedule. What are the highlights? Well, more tank models, of course, followed by new game types including historical battle, escort, garage battle, assault, and company battle modes. There's also an expansion of the clan wars map in the works, as well as new customization options, vehicle physics, and more. [Thanks to Greg for the tip!]
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| MV Guide: September 12-18, 2011 Posted: 12 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Livestream, Miscellaneous, MV Guide  Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During livestream events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Continue reading MV Guide: September 12-18, 2011
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| The Daily Grind: How do you deal with class overload? Posted: 12 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Guilds, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Miscellaneous  Granted, the new wave of MMOs is doing away with rigid class restrictions and holy trinities, but that doesn't mean all need for balance is dead and gone. So how do you deal with a class overload in your gaming groups? Do you embrace the theme or hope players' desire to be a unique snowflake will help them spread out their choices? Do you impose limits on classes and force people to diversify? Or do you figure your friends will figure it out on their own once they can't form a balanced group out of four Han Solos?  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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| Posted: 11 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Massively meta, Week in Review, Miscellaneous  This week, Star Wars: The Old Republic managed to steal the limelight with delays for the European beta and a lack of beta this weekend for everyone else. Only SWTOR could pull that off! Fortunately, BioWare occupied fans with a Smuggler video, a beta FAQ obviously intended to rival War and Peace, and unsurprising news that the company is studying its biggest competitor. Skip past the break for a run-down of this week's other top MMO posts. Continue reading Week in Review: Smuggle this
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| EVE Evolved: Expansions, not excuses Posted: 11 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Expansions, Lore, MMO industry, Opinion, EVE Evolved  In the previous three EVE Evolved columns, I discussed the upcoming nullsec revamp scheduled to begin this winter and the incredible new gameplay players might get as part of it. Members of the CSM know exactly how many people will be working on that revamp, and although those numbers haven't been made public, several delegates have gone public with their disapproval. EVE's subscription fees are currently paying for the development of CCP's upcoming fantasy MMO World of Darkness and its ambitious console MMOFPS DUST 514, leaving few resources for new EVE gameplay and content. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at the success of EVE's first blockbuster expansion and ask why development on EVE Online has dramatically decreased over the past two and a half years. Continue reading EVE Evolved: Expansions, not excuses
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| Posted: 11 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Free-to-play, One Shots, Free Realms, Family  That's it for this week, and we're ready to move on to starting zone week! First impressions are a big deal, so many developers put a lot into that first zone you see. Show us a screenshot of your favorite starting zone -- add your name and a little bit about the image, send it in to oneshots@massively.com, and we'll feature it in next week's One Shots!
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| Rise and Shiny recap: Drakensang Online Posted: 11 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Hands-on, Rise and Shiny, Livestream  The experience turned out more or less as expected, but it did throw me a few curveballs. Click past the cut and let's talk all about it. Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Drakensang Online
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