MMO Updates

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• WRUP: Do people still watch movies edition
• The Daily Grind: What zone creeps you out?
• All Points Bulletin Reloaded blog post focuses on the "home stretch" to launch
• Allods Online gets fabulous with Astral ship interior design
• Final Fantasy XIV gearing up to celebrate its foundation
• Betawatch: September 9-15, 2011
• Wasteland Diaries: Scavenger's guide
• Take a walk through the underground in City of Heroes
• The Road to Mordor: Seven things to do in Ered Luin before you die
• Wargaming.net releases new World of Warplanes screens
• BioWare devs talk SWTOR combat animations, answer PvP questions
• One Shots: How do you get in there?
• Ree Soesbee wraps up Guild Wars 2's Asura Week
• Warhammer Online celebrates third anniversary with bonus XP, veteran goodies
• GodsWar Online takes the battle to a whole new level
• Dark Age of Camelot takes players to school
• Troy Online opens new battlefield, announces another big update

WRUP: Do people still watch movies edition Posted: 17 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Massively meta, Miscellaneous One of the downsides to not being single is that I no longer have any reason to ask a woman if she would like to catch a movie with me at some point. This fact, coupled with my total absence of any regularly viewed television programs, means that I seriously have no idea if there are any movies coming out before The Hunger Games in March of next year. Are movies still a thing? Do people watch those? Or is the new thing just re-watching Avatar in slow-motion? Seriously, I'm totally clueless about this. What I'm not totally clueless about is what the Massively staff is going to be doing over the weekend... because I read this week's WRUP. It doesn't include anyone watching movies, though -- just all of us chatting about what fictional game world we'd like to inhabit. So jump past the break to see what we'll be doing, and let us know your plans in the comments. And if it's at all possible, do let me know if movies are still a thing. Continue reading WRUP: Do people still watch movies edition WRUP: Do people still watch movies edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What zone creeps you out? Posted: 17 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Virtual worlds, Miscellaneous In the early levels of pretty much every MMO, the setting is idyllic. Sure, there are rats that could devour a housecat in abundance, but the environment feels fairly sedate. Once you get into the higher levels, however, you start walking through regions that are less welcoming. Some of them just feel unreal and alien (Final Fantasy XI's Promyvion regions), while others are real environments pushed far beyond the breaking point (World of Warcraft's Shadowmoon Valley). Whatever the cause, though, there are definitely spaces in the game where you really don't want to own a house. Every person's tolerance of creepy is going to be different, and for some people the opening of RIFT in the midst of a bleak and hopeless future is going to be creepy enough. But we're not going to tell you what the creepiest possible region of a game world is; you're going to tell us. So what in-game zone makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck, and why? 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! The Daily Grind: What zone creeps you out? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

All Points Bulletin Reloaded blog post focuses on the "home stretch" to launch Posted: 16 Sep 2011 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Bugs, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, All Points Bulletin, Crime Enforcers and criminals better listen up, because it's time for another All Points Bulletin Reloaded blog post. This one focuses on the open beta "home stretch," as the post's title refers to it. With the game's patch 1.5.3 hot off the press, the team is gearing up for patches 1.5.4 through 1.5.7, which are the last planned patches prior to the game's official launch. So what kind of issues have been spotted throughout the span of open beta, and what does the team hope to accomplish prior to the game's official release? Well, sit down and get comfy, because the team has put together quite a list, included after the jump. Continue reading All Points Bulletin Reloaded blog post focuses on the "home stretch" to launch All Points Bulletin Reloaded blog post focuses on the "home stretch" to launch originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Allods Online gets fabulous with Astral ship interior design Posted: 16 Sep 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Allods Online Ahoy there, Astral ship captains! Is your ship looking a little dull? Perhaps you'd like to go all Queer Eye on your captain's quarters. Well, now's your chance. Allods Online's patch 2.0.06 is en route to players, and it brings Astral ship owners the ability to customize the interiors of their vessels. Perhaps you think that painting tasteless. Replace it with a Van Gogh! Tired of dirty Gibberlings tracking mud all over your expensive hardwood floors? Put down a rug. Then wrap them in it and throw it over the balcony. The possibilities are endless. The new decorations can be purchased with Ship Coupons, Collector's Coins, Special Coins, and gold. So get our your color wheels and get to coordinating. You wouldn't want your drapes to clash with the carpeting, would you? Allods Online gets fabulous with Astral ship interior design originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Final Fantasy XIV gearing up to celebrate its foundation Posted: 16 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV Another holiday is just around the corner for Final Fantasy XIV players, but this one is a bit different than the usual fantastic interpretations of real-world holidays. No, it's Foundation Day, a day celebrating the formation of the original Grand Companies of Eorzea nearly a thousand years ago, starting on a day that will be quite familiar to anyone who has been playing the game for... well, just about a year now. (Surely there's no need to spell that out.) Starting on September 22nd and running until October 11th, the event will see recruitment officers for each of the companies stationed in the three cities, attempting to elicit more permanent membership from the adventurers running about. Exactly what the event will entail isn't yet known, but it's a safe bet that it will involve company seals and tie in to the upcoming expansions of the company system in patch 1.19. It also hints that we may see that patch on an obvious date, considering that the event will likely have to be patched in... Final Fantasy XIV gearing up to celebrate its foundation originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Betawatch: September 9-15, 2011 Posted: 16 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Massively meta, Betawatch, Miscellaneous Welcome to Betawatch, Massively's weekly report on the state of MMO betas. In each installment, we'll report everything from the latest open betas, closed betas and even alphas in one convenient place. Plus, we'll make sure to include as much info on each game's current status, including projected release dates (if known) and links to the sign-up forms to get yourself into that beta you've been seeking. We've got a newcomer to Betawatch this week, thanks to Bigpoint Games. KULTAN: The World Beyond is a seafaring adventure that is now in open beta. Rusty Hearts has finished closed beta testing and moved to open beta as well. So if you didn't get a closed beta key, the doors are open! Follow along after the jump for the latest Betawatch list. Continue reading Betawatch: September 9-15, 2011 Betawatch: September 9-15, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wasteland Diaries: Scavenger's guide Posted: 16 Sep 2011 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Economy, Game mechanics, MMOFPS, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic, Guides The economy in Fallen Earth is due to get a major overhaul in the next month. The devs have been pretty tight-lipped about what exactly is going to change. They may do something as bold as doing away with NPC vendors altogether (unlikely) or maybe just tweaking the rarity of materials (confirmed). Since we aren't exactly sure what is going to change, we can't really prepare ourselves properly, can we? We can guess which materials are going to become rarer with the revamp by looking at the recipes, but they will be undergoing changes as well. So trying to figure out what to hoard for the new economy is purely a guessing game. I don't want to get into theorycrafting on what may or may not change economy-wise. I'll leave it up to your best guess as to what materials you think you'll need to stock up on. My purpose in this post will be to help you get said materials. I can't think of a single material in the entire gameworld of Fallen Earth that is out of my grasp. I'm pretty sure I can find anything. I have compiled a list of useful materials and the best places that I know of to find them. There are some things that I will not divulge, but I'm going to be very generous considering most of the loot tables will be drastically altered very soon. Click past the cut and have a look at the list. Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Scavenger's guide Wasteland Diaries: Scavenger's guide originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Take a walk through the underground in City of Heroes Posted: 16 Sep 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Patches, Endgame, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons City of Heroes players are currently getting to enjoy all of the improvements within City of Heroes Freedom prior to the change in business models, but there's more in the update. For example, there's the newest Incarnate Trial, which sends players deep beneath Praetoria to investigate the areas into which Hamidon is creeping despite Cole's best efforts. But this is a collision of more than just Hamidon and Praetoria: Statesman, Desdemona, and the Incarnates of Primal Earth are tied up in a search for Praetoria's Vanessa DeVore. It can be a bit confusing at first glance, but the official site has just posted a guide to the lore and the process through the trial. Players will join up with Desdemona during the march through the tunnels, which culminates in a fight against one of the Seeds of Hamidon deep beneath the world's surface. Since players have the option to unlock the Alpha Slot or level the other Incarnate Slots via the trial, the guide should come in handy for players diving into the endgame options in the wake of Issue 21. Take a walk through the underground in City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Road to Mordor: Seven things to do in Ered Luin before you die Posted: 16 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor As I moved on to my second starter zone in Lord of the Rings Online on my mission to complete every quest in every area of the game, I was in for a rude, if expected, awakening. In comparison to the Shire, LotRO's Ered Luin is lacking across the board. It's hard to imagine that the game's most eastern zone, which houses not one but two racial starting areas, could turn out to be a snoozefest, but I'll let the title of this article do the talking for me. I wanted to have 10 highlights of each zone for this series and could barely get to seven. The problem here is multifold. In trying to cram both the Elves and Dwarves into a relatively small (if tall) zone, Turbine didn't allow for the space to develop either race's culture before throwing them together in the middle for an awkward social dance. The races aren't allowed to really establish their personalities, either, leaving the Elves to start shining in Rivendell and the Dwarves in Moria. Finally, many of the quests are so dull and forgettable as to prompt players to race through the area to escape to more interesting locales. It's not all a loss, of course. Some of the areas are quite scenic, and I do actually approve of the concept of setting up the conflict between Dwarves and Elves. If anything, the taste of ideas here almost begs for the area to be significantly expanded so that these concepts could be played out and the respective Elf and Dwarf habitations could be given more life. In the end, I recommend that visiting travelers, adventurers, and treasure-hunters pack a light lunch and plan to get the following seven activities done in a half-day's span. Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Seven things to do in Ered Luin before you die The Road to Mordor: Seven things to do in Ered Luin before you die originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wargaming.net releases new World of Warplanes screens Posted: 16 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Historical, Real life, Galleries, Screenshots, MMO industry, New titles, News items, War, Free-to-play, Miscellaneous, World of Warplanes The latest salvo in the battle between forthcoming free-to-play aviation MMOs has been fired by Wargaming.net. The company has released a fresh batch of screenshots detailing its new World of Warplanes title, which is the second in a trilogy of World War II-based action games that includes World of Tanks and World of Battleships. The screenshots show a small cross section of classic aircraft slipping the surly bonds of earth and engaging in various maneuvers designed to fill enemies full of hot lead. Wargaming.net's press release says that "every plane will feature multiple variations of ammo types, engines, and other crucial modules," and players will be able to guide their pilot avatars through a virtual career that begins in 1930s biplanes and culminates in the cockpit of Korean War-era jets. See the sights in the gallery below, and check out our exclusive interview with project manager Alexander Zezulin for more details on World of Warplanes' features and mechanics. [Source: Wargaming.net press release] Gallery: World of Warplanes Wargaming.net releases new World of Warplanes screens originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare devs talk SWTOR combat animations, answer PvP questions Posted: 16 Sep 2011 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dev Diaries Grab yourself a tall glass of blue milk, Star Wars fans, as BioWare has released a lengthy new edition of its Studio Insider feature to carry you through your Friday afternoon. The update features principal lead animator Mark How talking about -- wait for it -- animation! To be more precise, How tells us all about The Old Republic's combat animation, and he even tosses in an interesting video clip that features different stages in the development of a Jedi force leap and a Republic trooper full auto firing animation. How also gets into the challenges inherent in melding the lightsaber battles from the Star Wars films with the design limitations of an MMORPG. "Players do not enjoy having character control taken away from them because of an action or animation," How explains. "It was particularly challenging to develop animations that allowed for visually appealing combat while still allowing the players complete control over their characters." How successful were BioWare designers in this regard? That remains to be seen, but you can get a feel for their approach by reading How's blog. Finally, this week's Community Q&A feature continues the combat focus, and lead PvP designer Gabe Amatangelo has the answers to a few burning questions from the TOR faithful. BioWare devs talk SWTOR combat animations, answer PvP questions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

One Shots: How do you get in there? Posted: 16 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Guild Wars, One Shots As we approach the end of starting zone week on One Shots, we have a Guild Wars screenshot from Kirana (not to be confused with Karana): Pre-searing in Prophecies is a place I make sure to visit now and then for the sake of nostalgia. It's too bad we can't reach all the places we can see. Hey ArenaNet, can you get someone to unlock this big gate? We're approaching the end of starting zone week, but we've still got room for a few more images. 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 this week's One Shots! If you want to get a jump on next week, we'll be taking to the skies. One Shots will be all about aerial shots, whether they're taken from atop a high-flying mount or on the ground while you're viewing the action in the air. Send your image in and we'll show it off next week. Gallery: One Shots: 2011 One Shots: How do you get in there? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ree Soesbee wraps up Guild Wars 2's Asura Week Posted: 16 Sep 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars 2, Races The final day of Asura Week has arrived for Guild Wars 2 fans, and Game Designer Ree Soesbee takes the wheel with a mixed approach. Her look at the race combines hard facts with a short story about an Asura Krewe working through a dangerous task in its own devious and complicated fashion. The rest of the entry takes a deeper look at things we've learned about the Asura during the rest of this week: the political system, the various colleges, and the inner workings of Krewes. This entry serves as a nice wrap-up to Asura Week, highlighting the core of who the Asura are: highly intelligent, driven little guys with a ruthless desire to be the best and brightest. Head over to the ArenaNet blog for the full story. Ree Soesbee wraps up Guild Wars 2's Asura Week originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Warhammer Online celebrates third anniversary with bonus XP, veteran goodies Posted: 16 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, MMO industry, Warhammer Online, News items It's time to raise a glass to Warhammer Online, as Mythic's fantasy PvP title turns three on September 18th (time flies when you're WAAAGHing, we suppose). What's on tap for the inevitable celebration? Bonus XP/RP, of course, and a whopping 10 days of it. Starting today, players can enjoy increased advancement potential and loot a few fireworks from the twitching carcasses of their foes. Also, three-year veterans are being recognized for their loyalty, as Mythic is gifting them with a Jack-O-Lantern vanity pet and an endless supply of both chaos black and blazing orange dyes. Don't forget that the 1.4.4 patch was recently deployed, and the Wild Hunt event is currently ongoing. Finally, check in with Massively on Sunday for our three-year Warhammer Online retrospective. Warhammer Online celebrates third anniversary with bonus XP, veteran goodies originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

GodsWar Online takes the battle to a whole new level Posted: 16 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play GodsWar Online is on the verge of another major content update, and it's never our wish at Massively that players be caught unaware, just in case you want to plan ahead and move laundry night to a different day or something. The Grecian title will be throwing a gob -- which is made up of 10 goblets -- of additional features and content our way, including a level cap increase and a new storyline for players to enjoy. As the conflict between the three factions rises to an even higher level, elite warriors will be glad to get their hands on Class Suit III gear, not to mention to be able to upgrade said gear with collected medals. GodsWar will be tweaking Wonderland somewhat, particularly in regard to tougher BOSS fights (although there will be new weaknesses that players can exploit). The update will also allow you to swap out your character's gender for a modest fee, just in case you choose poorly in the beginning or are discontented with your current anatomical features. [Source: IGG press release] GodsWar Online takes the battle to a whole new level originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dark Age of Camelot takes players to school Posted: 16 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Patches, Previews, PvP, Dev Diaries Dark Age of Camelot's new website is already paying off in spades for players, as the developers are able to pass along a host of new information, concept art and previews for the populace. DAOC will be 10 years old as of next month and isn't slowing down. Exhibit A: The team is already hard at work on the 1.110 patch. John Thronhill penned a dev diary about the patch this week; he focuses on the new Lesson Quests that will go hand-in-hand with the beginner experience. Lesson Quests are designed to help newbies get their footing in this complex setting, especially since the game continues to see a "large amount of returning and brand-new players" each month. As players progress through Lesson Quests, they'll not only get a better understanding of how DAOC works but be rewarded with buff tokens, potions, and other nice goodies. As part of the quest chain, NPCs will demonstrate crowd control techniques and other RvR survival skills in the hopes that new players will be able to make a better contribution to the war. These tutorial quests can also be skipped if players already know the ropes. Lesson Quests aren't the only new additions coming with 1.110, although Thornhill says we'll have to wait until another day to hear about the rest. Dark Age of Camelot takes players to school originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Troy Online opens new battlefield, announces another big update Posted: 16 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, News items, Free-to-play Significant changes are coming to Troy Online over the next few weeks, and a new press release from ALT1Games has the details. A "big scale update will include a balance optimization [...] and new content for higher level users on October 13th," according to the news blurb. Prior to that, a new battlefield will open up and bring with it a number of tweaks relative to the existing battlefields. First and foremost, any player of any level can participate. The victors will receive a reward buff that affects their entire faction; conquering the battlefield involves holding the capture point for five minutes if you're on the attacking team. The defenders, on the other hand, have to stand their ground for 20 minutes. ALT1 remains mum on the new October content for now, but the battlefield updates went live yesterday. We'll keep you updated with fresh information as it's released. [Source: ALT1Games press release] Troy Online opens new battlefield, announces another big update originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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