MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Black Prophecy community letter addresses known issues, item shop, and the future

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Black Prophecy
Hold up just a minute there, space cowboy. Gamigo's Patrick Streppel has released a new community letter which addresses a few questions and grievances that have been raised by Black Prophecy players.

The letter first takes time to address some known issues with the game. Foremost of said issues is the acknowledgement that with the game's first major content update, many users began to experience large performance issues. Streppel states that fixing these issues is numero uno on the team's priority list, but that they "cannot promise immediate improvement" due to the fact that the source of the issue is "spread across several internal game systems."

Next up is the touchy subject of the item shop. Players have long decried the game's cash shop for being too expensive while simultaneously failing to give players an adequate description of what exactly they're spending their money on. In response, the team has lowered item prices and will proceed to alter item descriptions "in order to give [players] a clearer picture of what [they] are actually buying."

The letter then gives players a brief glimpse into the game's future. The next episode of the game features warzones, which are "a brand new PvP experience" allowing players to duke it out with the opposing faction for control of key territories. Conquering these warzones will grant players XP, rewards in the form of exclusive upgrade blueprints, and "greater individual and group powers" for the victorious faction.

For the full letter, which includes further details about the warzone system and more detailed discussions of the game's known issues, click on through the link below to the official forums.

MassivelyBlack Prophecy community letter addresses known issues, item shop, and the future originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

CCP announces EVE Fanfest 2012 dates

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online - fanfest drunkeness
CCP has just announced its plans for EVE Online's eighth annual Fanfest. The drunken buffoonery celebration will take place March 22nd through March 24th at the shiny new Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center in Reykjavik, Iceland.

CCP Tyr has posted the details on EVE's official website, and there's a loose itinerary that includes a poker tournament, a battle of the bands, chessboxing, and hey, there might even be some EVE- and Dust 514-related presentations and assorted tomfoolery if things go according to plan.

Tyr says that further info -- including flight, accomodation, and access pass availability -- will be forthcoming as the event draws closer.

MassivelyCCP announces EVE Fanfest 2012 dates originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively Exclusive: SOE's John Smedley reveals F2P model for DC Universe Online

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 08:30 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , ,

DC Universe Online - Batman and Robin PvP
For those of us who lack Batman's financial resources, maintaining several monthly MMO subscriptions can be a challenge. Sony Online Entertainment recognizes this, and as a result, the company has just announced that DC Universe Online will be officially joining the freemium revolution toward the end of October.

The new business model will feature a familiar tiered access plan with three membership levels. The Free, Premium, and Legendary plans feature full access to the current game while offering different levels of "convenience and flexibility." Free players will be limited to two character slots, and new "downloadable game packs/updates, additional character slots, powers, and more" will be available for purchase via microtransactions.

Premium players, i.e., folks who have spent at least $5 US on the game (including former subscribers and in-game item purchasers), will receive additional character slots, inventory slots, and higher cash limits. Legendary players will take home "maximum features and benefits" including free DLC, more than 15 character slots, and more than 80 inventory slots, all for the regular $14.99 monthly fee. DCUO will also continue to be available on SOE's Station Pass (and subscribing to the monthly all-in-one service nets you Legendary status in DCUO as well as access to all of SOE's MMORPGs).

Finally, Massively sat down with SOE president John Smedley and producer Lorin Jameson to chat about the new model, and you can find that transcription after the break.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: SOE's John Smedley reveals F2P model for DC Universe Online

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: SOE's John Smedley reveals F2P model for DC Universe Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Blizzard's Tom Chilton on World of Warcraft's patch 4.3 and beyond

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- World of Warcraft
It may be hard to believe, but World of Warcraft's Cataclysm expansion has been out for the better part of a year now. All the while, players have been on a long and arduous adventure to defend the lands of Azeroth from the nefarious Deathwing and his minions. In an interview with Blizzard's Tom Chilton, Joystiq brings to light some details on the dragon's imminent demise, as well as a few insights on what players can expect from WoW's patch 4.3: Dragon Soul.

Chilton details the upcoming Transmogrification system, which allows players to customize the appearance of their gear by transferring one item's graphic to another. He also discusses the new Void Storage system, which grants increased storage space with the caveat that any item stored in the void will be stripped of all gems and enchantments.

The pièce de résistance of the whole affair is, of course, the final showdown with Deathwing himself. Players will have to traverse three separate five-man instances which will culminate in a huge battle which doesn't just feature Deathwing as the opponent; he's the battlefield as well.

But we don't want to give it all away, so head on over to Joystiq for the full, juicy interview.

MassivelyBlizzard's Tom Chilton on World of Warcraft's patch 4.3 and beyond originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MV Guide: September 19-25, 2011

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

Vanguard screenshot
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel.

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.)

Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule!

Continue reading MV Guide: September 19-25, 2011

MassivelyMV Guide: September 19-25, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Should games cut us off? [Updated]

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , , , ,

Free Realms screenshot
Recently, Free Realms instituted a troubling feature for accounts belonging to minors. Parents began noticing that after they or their children played for three hours on an account flagged "minor," the interface announced that the player had entered "fatigue gaming time" and should log out to get some exercise for his health. Moreover, fatigue time reduced all in-game gains for the player by 50% and prevented him from completing quests and spinning the loot wheel.

Gamers erupted over what they saw as Sony Online Entertainment's attempt to intrude upon the parental domain, and the company has since rolled back this feature and stated it was "unintended." Still, other games have implemented similar features. What say you, Massively readers? Are you happy for games to nanny you (and your kids), or do you think they should mind their own business?

[Update: SOE contacted us to clarify that this feature is for the Chinese version only, as part of that government's Chinese Anti Indulgence System. It was accidentally included in the US version of the game briefly, hence the "unintended" statement. It's not in the US version of the game at this time.]

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Should games cut us off? [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Week in Review: Long on snark

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , ,

Guild Wars 2 image
At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. Miss a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week? You've come to the right post.

Fans of the Guild Wars 2 saga's shortest race were rewarded this week with five full days of love for the precocious Asura. ArenaNet supplied glimpses into the Asura's original Yoda-like design, their layer-cake art and architecture, their turbulent history, and their capital city (in video form). Finally, we were treated to a short story and an explanation for the Asura's ever-present, ever-amusing snark. Never be called a bookah again!

Check out this week's other top MMO stories and articles just past the break.

Continue reading Week in Review: Long on snark

MassivelyWeek in Review: Long on snark originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Evolved: Too early to judge Incarna

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Amidst talk of EVE Online's upcoming nullsec revamp, the Council of Stellar Management voiced legitimate concerns that CCP may not be assigning enough development time to in-space EVE features. Last year, CCP Zulu revealed that of over 400 developers at CCP Games, 124 were assigned to EVE Online. Of those, a whopping 70 were assigned to develop EVE's new avatar-based Incarna feature, several others were assigned to core technologies going into Incarna, and only 22 were focused on developing in-space features.

Last week I looked into the issue of EVE's development time being reduced over the years, but it has been pointed out to me that I largely dismissed the development time that went into Incarna as if it weren't development on EVE. This is a common line of thought among current veteran players, who typically don't care about Incarna and want time to be spent on in-space features instead. Incarna has eaten up a significant amount of development time for very little tangible benefit, but is it too early to judge the efficacy of this massive addition to EVE?

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at what the future may hold for Incarna and how the work invested so far may not become valuable to players until certain features hit.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Too early to judge Incarna

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Too early to judge Incarna originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

One Shots: Not exactly peaceful

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , ,

Our final One Shots image comes from Massively reader Indigostorm, who has a strong appreciation for the danger inherent in this RIFT starting zone:
One of the major things that brought me to RIFT was the stunning graphics. This is my favorite view of the starting zone -- what is a screenshot without a death rift?! It is also the background for my Twitter account.
That's it for starting zone week here on One Shots, and we're ready to take to the skies! Show us your favorite aerial image -- whether it be taken from the ground looking up or from atop a high-flying mount, we want to see! 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!

MassivelyOne Shots: Not exactly peaceful originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rise and Shiny recap: Crystal Saga

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Crystal Saga screenshot
There's a lot to be said for automation. Thanks to automated processes, our society hums along more nicely than it ever has. But should we include our playtime on the list of things we want to automate? Is it possible to enjoy something like an MMO if we really don't control it at all? If we assemble our army men and wind them up, is watching them go as much fun as controlling what they do?

Ah, such deep questions stemming from such a simple game. Crystal Saga is a browser-based, free-to-play, Flash-based MMORPG (there's a mouthful) that allows players to do a lot of things, including fully automate the grinding process. I can hear the potential comments already, so click past the cut and let me explain it more.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Crystal Saga

MassivelyRise and Shiny recap: Crystal Saga originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Warhammer Online: Three years later

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

WAR
To this day, I don't know what quite came over me when I decided to throw my chips into the blogging scene to cover Warhammer Online, eight months before the game launched. Like many of you, I had been a long-time reader of MMO blogs, but I was intimidated at trying my hand at joining in, perhaps elevating these writers to the status of legendary wordsmiths who penned unequaled prose in our lifetimes.

Or I just didn't want to be one of a thousand World of Warcraft bloggers who dominated the scene. Just a thought.

In any case, it was a terrific decision to do so on my part. I found that I had a passion not only for MMOs but for talking about them, and I loved connecting with other writers and readers and players, which happens with blogging. I've been asked from time to time if I regret picking Warhammer Online as the game that I latched onto for a couple of years, and I always say no -- no regrets. The game was fun, but the coverage was an unparalleled rollercoaster of anticipation, hype, fun, speculation, promise, disappointment, and above all, ideas. Wonderful, flawed, captivating ideas.

I haven't touched WAR since 2010, so perhaps I'm not the best source for the latest and greatest in the game. But what I do have to offer is a humble blogger's perspective on what went right, what went wrong, and why I'm ultimately happy that WAR came into being and is chugging along on today, its third anniversary.

Continue reading Warhammer Online: Three years later

MassivelyWarhammer Online: Three years later originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Total Pageviews

statcounter

View My Stats