MMO Updates |
- Perpetuum removing character attributes, tweaking character creation
- RIFT's Ashes of History update goes live
- Aion fail-proof manastone supplements available in the cash shop
- Get an eyeful of Salem with an hour-long tour
- Perfect World Entertainment announces War of the Immortals
- The Daily Grind: Should veteran rewards be more substantial?
- Patch 1.19 delayed for Final Fantasy XIV
- This RIFT 1.5 update trailer is approved for all audiences
- Hyperspace Beacon: Timeline
- Achievements to be included in Star Wars: The Old Republic at launch
- The Game Archaeologist: Why I write
- Senior Art Director Tramell Isaac discusses PlanetSide 2's aesthetic
- One Shots: Readying the troops
- Ragnar Tørnquist discusses TSW's skill system, investigations, and more
- City of Heroes Freedom goes live
- Drakensang Online boasts one million registered users
- MMObility: Glitch makes you wish you were as cool as it is
- The Soapbox: On armchair development
- New Hero Engine sandbox to feature 3-faction PvP, deep crafting
| Perpetuum removing character attributes, tweaking character creation Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Perpetuum, Dev Diaries, Sandbox  First and foremost is the removal of character attributes. If you're not familiar with the game, the change isn't as dire as it initially sounds, as attributes basically determine the cost of extension points which in turn leads to skill specialization. Avatar says that the only problem with the current system is that it forces players to make critical choices early in their Perpetuum careers (when most don't have a clue how they want to build their character or how the game works). The attribute changes will also necessitate a character creation revamp, and you can read all about the tweaks on the official website.
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| RIFT's Ashes of History update goes live Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, RIFT  Trion Worlds' latest update for RIFT includes a number of features geared toward players of all types: soloers (the Chronicles dungeon system), level 50s (planar attunement), danger junkies (master mode dungeons), and PvPers (a brand-new warfront). A fresh and exciting world event is also on the way following the patch's release, although Trion has yet to specify a date for the event's start. You can catch up on all of Massively's coverage of Ashes of History by watching the launch trailer, reading up on the features list, and learning about the veteran rewards for loyal players. Trion also posted the full patch notes on the site for your perusal.
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| Aion fail-proof manastone supplements available in the cash shop Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items  If you've never played Aion, socketing manastones into your gear grants considerable bonuses and is basically required for competitive PvP and PvE. Unfortunately, the random number generator that governs the process is notoriously unfriendly to players, many of whom have blown their entire in-game fortunes trying to socket a single suit of armor. Five of the new fail-proof supplements are also available as part of Aion's 24-month veteran reward package. You can read the details on the new promotion at the official UK Aion website. NCsoft has not confirmed whether the promotion is also happening on the American servers, and we'll update the post as that info becomes available. [Thanks to Indeterminatus for the tip!]
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| Get an eyeful of Salem with an hour-long tour Posted: 28 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Video, Sandbox  If you missed it, you're still in luck: The broadcast was recorded and saved for posterity. In it, Creative Director Bjorn Johannessen, "Code Gnome" Frank Tolf, and Senior Producer Gordon Van Dyke want to give viewers a feel for how the game functions and feels. It's important to note that the demonstration doesn't begin for real until the 14-minute mark, so unless you really like elevator music and waiting, you might want to skip ahead to there. You can watch the full video after the jump. Continue reading Get an eyeful of Salem with an hour-long tour
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| Perfect World Entertainment announces War of the Immortals Posted: 28 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, New titles, Previews, News items, Free-to-play  War of the Immortals promises guild housing and territory control as players engage in battle against both enemies and one another. Players can choose between eight different classes, with each class linked to a unique set of "soul gear" that advance as the individual character progresses through the game. If it sounds up your alley, you might want to check out the announcement trailer embedded just after the cut. [Source: PWE press release] Continue reading Perfect World Entertainment announces War of the Immortals
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| The Daily Grind: Should veteran rewards be more substantial? Posted: 28 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  So for this reason, I believe veteran rewards should be worth even more these days. No more extra health potions or cosmetic accessories that no one will ever see; we want real rewards for the dedication we put into the product. But how do you feel? Do you think vet rewards are just another carrot-on-a-stick, or should our dedication be better rewarded?  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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| Patch 1.19 delayed for Final Fantasy XIV Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV  On the plus side, the full patch notes for patch 1.19 will be available for viewing on September 30th. Yoshida also included a video preview of the upcoming Ifrit battle that will go live in 1.19, showing what players can expect from the first skirmish against this mighty primal. Jump on past the break to take a look at the fight as well as some hints of the game personalities involved once the patch goes live next Tuesday. Continue reading Patch 1.19 delayed for Final Fantasy XIV
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| This RIFT 1.5 update trailer is approved for all audiences Posted: 27 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Patches, RIFT  In any event, RIFT's fifth major content update looks to be a game-changer in several ways, adding alternative advancement (planar attunement), master-level dungeons, and veteran rewards to the faithful. To celebrate this week's release of Ashes of History, Trion Worlds has put together an impressive trailer full of angels, demons, and the words "Trion Worlds presents" for our viewing pleasure. One interesting detail to note is the apparent addition of a giant spider mount, which will undoubtedly play favorably in the arachnophobic market. You can view the two-minute trailer after the jump! [Thanks to Ren54 for the tip!] Continue reading This RIFT 1.5 update trailer is approved for all audiences
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| Posted: 27 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon  I don't think it's any secret that BioWare stories are extremely deep, and Lead Writer Daniel Erickson has a nerdgasm every time someone interviews him about Star Wars history. The established history leading up to TOR will play a major role in the story that unfolds in the game, otherwise the development team would not have had the wherewithal to create the timeline videos for the website. Following the break, I would like to set you up for future, more comprehensive articles about the Star Wars lore. Although this column is certainly not exclusively about lore, when I bring up another Holocron File, I want reader to have a decent understanding of when these events fall in Star Wars history. So rev up your time machine to 88 miles per hour! This Hyperspace Beacon is about to go back in time -- way back! Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Timeline
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| Achievements to be included in Star Wars: The Old Republic at launch Posted: 27 Sep 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic  Are you the sort of person who absolutely will not rest until you've achieved every goal a game has set before you? Are you a Star Wars: The Old Republic fan? If you answered yes to both of these questions, then boy are you in luck. Everyone's favorite time-wasters have been confirmed for The Old Republic's launch. That's right, we're talking about achievements. It's important to note, however, that these aren't the esoteric, wacky achievements that reward you for dancing on a mailbox with rubber cow udders strapped to your head. The "level one" achievement system will primarily focus on feats of heroism, such as taking down a big boss and other things of that nature. For the full details, check out the interview excerpt at Ask A Jedi.
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| The Game Archaeologist: Why I write Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous  It's no secret that bigger games and newer titles get the lion's share of the attention and love. It's how it is, and not just here at Massively. I love looking forward to the next hot thing like anyone else, and I will gorge on all the juicy infos if given the opportunity. Yet it's a little-known secret that many staffers here at Massively are passionate about the old guard of MMOs, up to and including playing them on a regular basis. Bree won't let pass any opportunity to tout Ultima Online's "did it first!" superiority on every occasion, Eliot and City of Heroes make out on a regular basis, and several writers are in group therapy as I write this because of the impending shutdown of Star Wars Galaxies. To be an MMO fan is to love the genre as a whole, not just one game. Today I'm going to crack my chest wide open and bare my soul to you as to why I write about older MMOs and why they're still incredibly important to our hobby. Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Why I write
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| Senior Art Director Tramell Isaac discusses PlanetSide 2's aesthetic Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Previews, News items, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2  PlanetSide 2 fans, power down your Exo-Suits and take your fingers off your triggers for just one moment. We've got an incoming transmission that we think may be of interest. In today's comm-link, Tramell "T.Ray" Isaac, Senior Art Director on PlanetSide 2, takes some time to give players a look at what can be expected of the aesthetic of the upcoming title. Isaac discusses the process of coming up with the various faction colors and designs for the original game and goes on to detail what the team is doing to translate those designs over to the new tech of PlanetSide 2. For instance, the Terran Republic's look is clean, professional, and sleek, whereas the New Conglomerate's aesthetic is considerably more angular and unrefined. Lastly, he takes a moment to touch on the environments players will be seeing in PlanetSide 2, such as the continent of Indar where players will have to battle not only the opposing factions but fierce dust storms as well. For the full comm-link, click on over to the official PlanetSide 2 site.
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| One Shots: Readying the troops Posted: 27 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, One Shots  This is my guild, Chaos Factors, buffing up for the Golemagg pull in Molten Core. I can name a dozen people in this pic -- for instance, the raid lead Gnome Mage who obsessed over his "Mage camp," the Night Elf Hunter for whom the Feign Death cooldown was tragically too long, and the Hunter off in the distance who is my roommate!We're leaving the One Shots theme up to you this week! There's no theme and no requirement; just send us your favorite screenshots and tell us why you love them. 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!
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| Ragnar Tørnquist discusses TSW's skill system, investigations, and more Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Interviews, News items, The Secret World  Dark days are coming, my friends. All the myths are true, and evil lurks around every corner. Thankfully, we've gotten our hands on a new PC Gamer interview with The Secret World's creative director Ragnar Tørnquist, which should help to cast some light on these grim prophecies. It's already well-known that The Secret World won't hinge on classes and levels but instead will allow players to craft their own skill sets from a number of set categories. Ragnar expounds on this system, explaining that players will have access to something called a Base Gear Manager, which essentially provides a way for players to quickly swap between preset groups of abilities and equipment in order to adapt to the situation at hand. While players will likely find themselves falling into the traditional MMO archetypes of tanks, healers, DPS, and so forth, Tørnquist points out that The Secret World won't be as instance-heavy as other games and will provide a plethora of open-world events that will allow players to come together as an ad hoc group to, say, keep a police station from being overrun by the forces of evil. Perhaps most interesting, though, are the bits of information revealed about the game's unique Investigation Missions. Tørnquist provides two examples of what players can expect from the ARG-inspired missions. One involves hunting down an in-game location based on a fortune teller's visions, while the other is a bit more in-depth, requiring players to look up information on a famous painter in order to progress. He also hints that the team may put up websites regarding in-game information that players will have to hack into in order to progress the investigation. For the full interview, which is full of interesting nuggets and anecdotes from Tørnquist himself, just click on the link below.
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| City of Heroes Freedom goes live Posted: 27 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Business models, Launches, News items, Free-to-play  If you're a returning veteran, you can enjoy all of the content for the game that you had previously purchased, as well as existing veteran rewards. Meanwhile, new players can just log in and start enjoying all of the game's seven years of content and updates. Whether you're an old or new player, however, you can take a look at the launch trailer just after the jump for a glimpse at what awaits everyone within City of Heroes Freedom at launch. Continue reading City of Heroes Freedom goes live
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| Drakensang Online boasts one million registered users Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Free-to-play  Bigpoint's free-to-play, browser-based MMORPG Drakensang Online has been in open beta for almost two months now, and according to the developers, it has amassed quite a following in that timespan. In a press release today, Bigpoint announced that the Diablo-esque MMO has garnered one million registered users since entering open beta in August. So what's next for the game? Bern Beyreuther, Head of Development at Bigpoint Berlin, claims, "We already have a plethora of new content updates planned -- and Drakensang Online is just in its infancy." If you want to add yourself to the million, just head on over to the game's official site. [Source: Bigpoint press release]
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| MMObility: Glitch makes you wish you were as cool as it is Posted: 27 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Trailers, Launches, New titles, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Humor, MMObility  Well, we'll wait no more! As of today, the game and world is finally open to anyone. That means you get to jump in, nibble pigs, massage butterflies, collect random items you find on the floor, and generally exist in the imagination of a giant. Sounds cool? It is cool. In fact, I need to explain just how cool it is. Click past the cut! Continue reading MMObility: Glitch makes you wish you were as cool as it is
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| The Soapbox: On armchair development Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous  A couple of weeks ago I penned a Soapbox that, to put it mildly, elicited passionate responses. While a few people sided with me in my belief that MMO combat is silly and sucky, the cries of the masses drowned us out with variations on "you know nothing, Jon Snow" and "go back to consoles, you inexperienced newb!" Some of the responses got me to thinking about game design in general and about game designers and their cult celebrity status in particular. When you cut through the anonymous insults and keyboard courage, most of my would-be critics were actually right about one thing: I'm not a game "developer." You know what's funny, though? That doesn't make a lick of difference when it comes to the ability to talk intelligently about games and game design. Continue reading The Soapbox: On armchair development
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| New Hero Engine sandbox to feature 3-faction PvP, deep crafting Posted: 27 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Sandbox, Crafting  The project is built on the Hero Engine (and if that doesn't mean anything to you, you'll surely recognize the tech's most famous implementation to date) and is described as a three-faction PvP game that allows players to join existing nations or create their own. Gameplay is purportedly skill-based, and there is a toggle between traditional MMORPG button-mashing combat and some sort of action mode. There are also "many non-combat activities" including an "advanced" crafting system. The video shows quite a bit of footage given its sub-two-minute running time, and you can get a glimpse of city building, combat, and the user interface after the break. Continue reading New Hero Engine sandbox to feature 3-faction PvP, deep crafting
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