MMO Updates

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• Huge crafting changes in store for Final Fantasy's 1.19 patch
• Players of the world vs. Malephar: Fiesta Online creates the ultimate showdown
• Captain's Log: What's your (energy) type?
• Dark Age of Camelot gears up its newbies
• Star Trek Online outlining the road to free-to-play
• Blizzard's not talking about its unannounced MMO at BlizzCon this year, either
• The Daily Grind: What MMO will never see the light of day?
• More talk of an Avatar MMO surfaces from director James Cameron
• BlizzCon 2011 brings in Foo Fighters for concert -- and to fight the foo
• Choose My Adventure: RIFT sealed
• Brian Clayton on the City of Heroes Freedom launch
• WildStar gives players a taste of the sound of the world
• Massively Exclusive: Eden Eternal teases the Templar
• A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Freedom content
• Video interview with Chris McDonough reveals more details on World of Darkness
• Enter at Your Own Rift: Tackling the question of which is better
• PlanetSide 2 devs answer questions via Twitter
• Steam Daily Deal features RIFT for less than a value meal
• One Shots: Come up, enjoy the view!
• Massively Speaking Episode 167
• LotRO dev diary talks Dunland, new dev tools
• Free for All: Smedley helps us understand free-to-play
• Allods Online's Undaunted update coming October 11th
• FFXIV takes to YouTube Live for its one-year anniversary

Huge crafting changes in store for Final Fantasy's 1.19 patch Posted: 29 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Final Fantasy XIV, Crafting Final Fantasy XIV players are still eagerly waiting on the delayed patch 1.19, a patch that seems to grow bigger by the day. If you're into crafting, then 1.19 will be the equivalent of a full-scale renovation of your favorite hang-out spot. Square-Enix posted the work-in-progress list of 1.19 crafting changes on the Final Fantasy XIV forums, and it is truly a List of Lists. If you like to scroll, then you're going to be in heaven. This comprehensive list includes new recipes, updated and abolished recipes, and all of the changes to places where you can find, buy and sell materials needed. Several of the new recipes coming with 1.19 won't require as many materials, and fearing an unbalanced economy because of that, the devs have reduced the amount of mats needed for intermediary parts recipes and how much those recipes produce. The devs are also removing the need for copper ingots entirely, as the material will no longer be needed for any recipes. Huge crafting changes in store for Final Fantasy's 1.19 patch originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Final Fantasy XIV forums

Players of the world vs. Malephar: Fiesta Online creates the ultimate showdown Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Free-to-play The colorful Fiesta Online -- the party MMO that is always prepared to breakdance if someone turns on a beat -- has conga'd forward with its latest update: Malephar's Lair. Named for a nasty centaur who doesn't play well with others, the update has plenty of new challenges for high-level players. Geared-up level 105 players can attempt to take Malephar down in his fortress, but before they do so they'll have to beat a pair of mini-bosses that serve as gatekeepers to the encounter. Take him down, and new legendary weapons will be yours for the taking! The update also includes 10 additional sets of armor, class balances, repeatable quests for those levels 89 and higher, and a special unicorn mount that lasts for just a week and can only be obtained by excelling in the guild tournaments. [Source: gamigo press release] Gallery: Fiesta Online Players of the world vs. Malephar: Fiesta Online creates the ultimate showdown originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: What's your (energy) type? Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log Captain's Log, Stardate 65244.9... Hello, computer (and players)! Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear meeeeeee, happy birthday to me. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Yes, today is my birthday, and the best present I could receive is being able to share this week's Captain's Log with you all. As we get closer and closer to the F2P re-launch of Star Trek Online, I expect that there will be new captains tuning into this column each week, so to help support our new comrades in between the weeks that feature an influx of breaking news and developments, I am going to be taking some time to educate everyone on a few of the game's mechanics. When I first started playing STO, I often found myself wondering about many of the choices available to my different characters. From armor to shields, deflectors to engines, and kits to weapons, there is an endless array of options that we can decide to play with and use. One of the most frequently asked questions I get from new players is, "What is the best energy type to use for my ship's weapons?" In the past, when I really did not know much, I would choose my type by the color it emitted. I now know that "pretty" does not equal "power." While each type has its own special bonuses, it's up to you to decide which to use and why. Here's to hoping I can aid in that decision. Ensign, warp 10! Let's take a look at the spectrum of colors and their abilities... Continue reading Captain's Log: What's your (energy) type? Captain's Log: What's your (energy) type? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dark Age of Camelot gears up its newbies Posted: 29 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Game mechanics, Dev Diaries As part of Mythic's continued efforts to introduce a "New User Journey" experience that's friendly to Dark Age of Camelot beginners, the studio has turned its attention to the ever-crucial subject of gear. In a new dev diary by DJ Frazier, the dev spells out the problem: "For a new player who wanders into battlegrounds, especially ones like Thidranki or Molvik, they will often find themselves losing almost every fight they encounter, simply because they are playing against people who have had a chance to outfit themselves out in the best equipment they can find for their level range." Because the team fears that this armor disparity proves to be a dealbreaker for many newbies, the devs are retuning the gear that players get during their leveling up process to be more durable and competitive on the battlefield. The two main paths of leveling -- PvE questing and RvR battlegrounds -- will both offer solid picks of gear when patch 1.110 hits. Players who risk the battlegrounds will find themselves in possession of top-notch weapons and armor, whereas those who choose to quest will find themselves "90% of the way there" with their gear. Hopefully, these changes will create an environment that's much more welcoming to newcomers to DAoC. Dark Age of Camelot gears up its newbies originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dark Age of Camelot

Star Trek Online outlining the road to free-to-play Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Previews, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play The conversion to free-to-play isn't here yet for Star Trek Online, but it's on its way. And like so many things in the franchise, it's starting off with a sacrificial redshirt. Specifically, it's kicking off with the advent of the RedShirt test server for the game, as explained in the first "Path to F2P" blog entry on the official site. It's not that Tribble, the longtime test server, is being removed altogether -- instead, it's being repurposed to allow current subscribers a preview of the game's upcoming conversion. According to executive producer Stephen D'Angelo, Tribble will reopen for players on the 29th, although it will not be accepting character transfers upon opening. This is intentional, as the development team wants players to test out the new early portions of the game and enjoy the revised experience. It's the start of what promises to be a long path, but current subscribers and the team behind the game get to walk it one step at a time. Star Trek Online outlining the road to free-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: STO dev blog

Blizzard's not talking about its unannounced MMO at BlizzCon this year, either Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, MMO industry, New titles Remember that one time when Blizzard accidentally leaked some info stating that it's working on a new MMO (codenamed "Titan"), and we all got excited? And then BlizzCon happened, and we all thought the studio would tell us more, but it didn't? And then remember when that happened the next year, too? Well, it's happening again this year. In a clarification statement to IGN, Blizzard has confirmed that it will not be discussing the "unannounced MMO" during BlizzCon 2011. This following a VentureBeat interview with M2 Research senior analyst Billy Pidgeon who predicted that news of Titan must be breaking at this October's event. Oh well, we still have emote dance contests and the Foo Fighters, right? Blizzard's not talking about its unannounced MMO at BlizzCon this year, either originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: IGN

The Daily Grind: What MMO will never see the light of day? Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous MMO veterans probably remember DAWN, an "MMO" planned by Glitchless, which famously spawned the a company is at steak! meme before anyone called them memes. DAWN promised more features than any MMO had ever seen: permadeath, reproduction, player police and prisons, home construction, enforced roleplaying. You name it, Glitchless claimed it'd be in the game. And it would have likely been an amazing sandbox... if it hadn't been a scam meant to fool the gullible. We've all come across games that scream vaporware, even if the developers aren't exactly in on the joke. Today, we want to know what MMO out there has you convinced it'll never actually launch, and why. Is it because of dodgy developers biting off more than they can chew? A skittish publisher with a track record for early cancellations? A naive or dated pricing scheme, graphics set, or understanding of the competition? Whatever the reason, tell us: What upcoming MMO will never see the light of day? 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 MMO will never see the light of day? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

More talk of an Avatar MMO surfaces from director James Cameron Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items Hollywood IPs don't have the greatest track record when it comes to making the transition to the MMORPG space, but celebrated film director James Cameron recently told IGN that he thinks his Avatar franchise is up to the task. In an interview that touches on 3-D entertainment, single-player gaming, and real-world themepark rides, Cameron also says that "Avatar is a perfect IP for an MMO." The massively multiplayer portion of the project seems to be in its infancy, as the director notes that the fictional universe established in the 2009 blockbuster needs to be fleshed out and expanded via the upcoming sequels before consumers can fully grasp how big Avatar really is. "The film is really just a leaping off point," Cameron says, "so we've got to create a rich and diverse world that lives well beyond the films." This isn't the first time that scuttlebutt about an Avatar MMO has hit the intarwebs. Cameron's producing partner Jon Landau floated the topic in early 2010, and UbiSoft originally planned to release an Avatar MMO in conjunction with the film's holiday 2009 debut. More talk of an Avatar MMO surfaces from director James Cameron originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: IGN interview

BlizzCon 2011 brings in Foo Fighters for concert -- and to fight the foo Posted: 28 Sep 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Events, real-world, Massively Event Coverage, Miscellaneous Are you ready to rock? I SAID, ARE YOU READY TO ROCK? Oh, you are? Well then, you had better hope you already have a ticket to this year's BlizzCon, as the Foo Fighters are planning to take the center stage for a concert to end all concerts. The Foo Fighters join Ozzy Osbourne and Tenacious D as the latest headlining act for Blizzard's annual convention. It's become tradition to end the weekend with a huge concert, and Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl is prepared to give the crowd an experience like no other: "We're pretty sure that in the future, music historians will look back at BlizzCon 2011 as the unquestionable pinnacle of Foo Fighters' long and illustrious career. We look forward to living up to that prediction by bringing the Horde and Alliance together to rock the hell out of Anaheim next month." While BlizzCon is already sold out, there are virtual tickets and DirecTV options still available for die-hard fans. The convention will take place in California's Anaheim Convention Center on October 21st and 22nd. BlizzCon 2011 brings in Foo Fighters for concert -- and to fight the foo originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: WoW Insider

Choose My Adventure: RIFT sealed Posted: 28 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Opinion, Choose My Adventure, RIFT Here we are: the last hurrah, the final hour, the closing curtain, the rift sealed. Although it would be unfair to say that I have done everything in RIFT, I believe my experience has been well-rounded. I have done PvP, invasions, solo content, and group content -- even a little bit of resource gathering and crafting. One thing I can say with all certainty is that RIFT has a lot to offer, and the developers at Trion have put a lot of good work into the game. Beyond the cut, I would like to break down my general experiences in game. Some were good; some were bad. Unfortunately, if you are looking for a straightforward review, then you're not going to find that here. RIFT is a complex game, and depending on what you're looking for, your experience will vary. Most of what you obtain from this game will be proportionate to how much you personally put into it. But instead of rambling on here, I'll explain what I'm talking about beyond the break. Follow me there. Gallery: CMA: RIFT Continue reading Choose My Adventure: RIFT sealed Choose My Adventure: RIFT sealed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Brian Clayton on the City of Heroes Freedom launch Posted: 28 Sep 2011 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Business models, Interviews, Launches, News items, Free-to-play City of Heroes has launched its free-to-play hybrid model at long last, and all that remains for players to do is enjoy all of the options that City of Heroes Freedom provides. Well, and possibly wonder what the game's development schedule will look like from here on out, maybe ask a few questions about the pricing in the store, debate which player options have the most value, and so forth. Come to think of it, there are a lot of things to still be done. We had the opportunity to ask a few questions of executive producer Brian Clayton about what's going on behind the scenes of City of Heroes Freedom. Jump on past the break for a postmortem of the launch, discussions of what's to come in the store from here on out, and more information about what VIPs can expect from future updates. Continue reading Brian Clayton on the City of Heroes Freedom launch Brian Clayton on the City of Heroes Freedom launch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

WildStar gives players a taste of the sound of the world Posted: 28 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Previews, News items, WildStar It's hard not to find something familiar in WildStar's fusion of the wild west aesthetic with the exploration of an unfamiliar planet in deep space. That having been said, most people anticipating the game would likely find nothing to fault with that combination in terms of visuals. But what will the game sound like? That's what this week's WildStar Wednesday addresses, with a piece by Jeff Kurtenacker about composing the music you'll hear in-game. As Kurtenacker puts it, the biggest challenge as a composer is to create music that combines the game's diverse thematic points into a unified score, producing the right mixture of wonder, adventure, and a bit of old frontier exploration. But if all the technical discussion of composition is a bit beyond you, the post also includes two sample tracks from the game's soundtrack, a chance for players to get a sense of what to expect from the finished experience. The tracks are brief, but they're certainly the sort of thing that gets you in the mindset of the game -- and that's just what they're there for. WildStar gives players a taste of the sound of the world originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: WildStar Wednesday: The recipe for perfect music

Massively Exclusive: Eden Eternal teases the Templar Posted: 28 Sep 2011 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, News items, Free-to-play Earlier this week, Aeria Games announced that a new update would be coming to Eden Eternal sometime early in October. One of the features planned for said update is a new class, the Templar. To tease Eden Eternal fans, Aeria has given us a short trailer showcasing a Templar and his magic-wielding friend going toe-to-toe with a number of monsters. For the full trailer, head on past the cut, and then click over to Eden Eternal's website to play for yourself. Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Eden Eternal teases the Templar Massively Exclusive: Eden Eternal teases the Templar originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Freedom content Posted: 28 Sep 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Business models, Expansions, Patches, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter So last week, I had meant to cover all of the impressions from the head start of City of Heroes Freedom. What I actually managed to cover was the Paragon Market, which is to the whole of City of Heroes what my nose is to the rest of my face. It's not the first time that a small part has taken over a column, though, and so we're bravely forging ahead into the actual content updates that came along with this patch. And let's be honest, they're pretty significant -- a new zone, a new signature arc, changed power pools, and so forth. Unfortunately, my time with the new content hasn't been as extensive as I would have liked, so there are some parts of the update that I really haven't gotten to sink my teeth into just yet. But I can definitely offer my feedback on what I have seen so far and hopefully rectify the stuff that I've still missed out on in the near future. So is this update all that and a bag of chips, or is it somewhat less awesome than advertised? Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Freedom content A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Freedom content originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video interview with Chris McDonough reveals more details on World of Darkness Posted: 28 Sep 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Video, Interviews, Previews, News items, World of Darkness, Miscellaneous There are a lot of gamers pretty interested in World of Darkness, and it's not hard to see why. The game is based in lore that's still hugely influential in the arena of tabletop gaming, and it's hard to imagine a developer better suited to labyrinthine political dramas than CCP. Machinima.com had a chance to chat with Chris McDonough during the recent Grand Masquerade, where McDonough revealed a few more tidbits about what the game would incorporate and how it would cater to existing fans of the property. As McDonough puts it, the overall goal is to bring some of the feel of the game's many LARP activities into the MMO space, with the focus on player and character interplay in a sandbox environment. The full interview also discusses the spread of the overall property, why the team decided to focus on vampires initially, and more about what players can expect from the game world. View the full interview after the break. [Thanks to Pilgrim for the tip!] Continue reading Video interview with Chris McDonough reveals more details on World of Darkness Video interview with Chris McDonough reveals more details on World of Darkness originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Enter at Your Own Rift: Tackling the question of which is better Posted: 28 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, Opinion, Races, RIFT, Enter at Your Own Rift From the first day that RIFT launched, an endless debate has erupted around one central issue. Players have chosen their sides and dug in deep defending them. It's led to countless arguments and a six-month battle that gets worse with each passing day. For this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, I've decided to tackle this debate head on and really look at what divides the two sides. That's right -- the time has come to finally decide which is better: Guardian or Defiant. Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Tackling the question of which is better Enter at Your Own Rift: Tackling the question of which is better originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

PlanetSide 2 devs answer questions via Twitter Posted: 28 Sep 2011 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2 MMO Crunch has the details on Sony Online Entertainment's PlanetSide 2 Twitter question-and-answer session that went down on September 16th. The chat covered a lot of ground and answered quite a few of the PlanetSide nation's most burning questions. What kinds of questions? Well, there are bits about customizable armor, bunny hopping, strafing, sun glare as it affects pilots, online vs. offline skill training, and dozens more where those came from. PlanetSide 2 fans will also be happy to know that each of the game's continents will support over 2000 simultaneous players, and said continents will feature varied environments including snow-covered terrain, glaciers, and forests. Check out an abbreviated list of discussion points after the break. Continue reading PlanetSide 2 devs answer questions via Twitter PlanetSide 2 devs answer questions via Twitter originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: MMO Crunch

Steam Daily Deal features RIFT for less than a value meal Posted: 28 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, News items, RIFT RIFT's Ashes of History game update went live today, and as if to celebrate the occasion, the game is on sale for 75% off on Steam. That's right, a $30 value can be yours for a mere $7.50. But be sure to act quickly; the sale ends tomorrow. If you're interested in the deal, just head on over to the game's Steam page to snag it for yourself. Steam Daily Deal features RIFT for less than a value meal originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Save 75% on RIFT -- Steam

One Shots: Come up, enjoy the view! Posted: 28 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, One Shots We've got another World of Warcraft screenshot on today's One Shots, thanks to Massively reader Tim: Back in the days of The Burning Crusade, when I still played, I caught myself looking at an amazing scene while flying around to turn in some reputation quests. Aldor Rise looked like a scene from a painting, and my screenshot button agreed. We've got a little surprise for you -- this is One Shots' final week. Friday will be the last edition of this feature, but don't fret. One Shots is stepping aside to make room for something new here at Massively, and we think you're going to love it. Watch the site beginning Monday, October 3rd to see what's new! For now, if you want to make one final contribution to One Shots, you've still got a few days left. Grab your favorite screenshot, 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! Gallery: One Shots: 2011 One Shots: Come up, enjoy the view! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively Speaking Episode 167 Posted: 28 Sep 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Podcasts, Interviews, News items, Opinion, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous Massively Speaking Episode 167 is back as Shawn and Rubi discuss the week's biggest MMO news, including City of Heroes: Freedom's launch and the announced retail release date for Star Wars: The Old Republic. In the second half of the show, Shawn's joined by PitchBlack Games founders John Kenison and Warren Weems to discuss their upcoming sci-fi MMO, Prime: Battle for Dominus. Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to shawn@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes. [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Massively Speaking is the official podcast of Massively.com. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Shawn Schuster and Community Manager Rubi Bayer, Massively Speaking takes on the week's biggest news and dev interviews with plenty of opinion, rants, and laughs thrown in for good measure. Join us every Wednesday afternoon to listen in and see what we'll say next! Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 167 Massively Speaking Episode 167 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

LotRO dev diary talks Dunland, new dev tools Posted: 28 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play Lord of the Rings Online's latest dev diary is hot off the presses, and to no one's surprise, it's all about Dunland (i.e., the new content region released in this week's Rise of Isengard expansion). Turbine's Jessie "Vastin" King is your guide to what's new and exciting in virtual Middle-earth, and the blog entry is heavy on LotRO's story elements as it explains the devs' approach to setting the game slightly off the path trod by Tolkien's famous fellowship. "It's in these areas where interesting characters, environments and stories lay in the tantalizing realm of suggestion," King explains. The dev blog also mentions a new approach to dynamic quests, NPCs, and events, and King says that the expansion is just the beginning as Turbine seeks to make its version of Tolkien's world that much more immersive. "As we settle into the use of some of these new tools, you should discover yourself in the midst of more dramatically changing towns, actively engaged NPC's, and roiling conflicts," the diary states. LotRO dev diary talks Dunland, new dev tools originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dunland dev blog

Free for All: Smedley helps us understand free-to-play Posted: 28 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business models, Interviews, Opinion, Free-to-play, Free for All, Miscellaneous John Smedley has been in this business a long, long time. Under his eye, Sony Online Entertainment has released some of the most influential and controversial titles out there. It should surprise no one that he has had to become very flexible when it comes to his customers, but he's also very decisive when it comes to fluctuations in the market. One of those fluctuations is the coming of free-to-play gaming and unlimited trial payment models. Of all the audiences in the world of gaming, SOE's tend to skew a bit older. These are players who might not appreciate all changes and who definitely know what they like. And so when Smedley and SOE released freemium titles like Free Realms and rolled out free versions of one of their most popular titles, EverQuest II, some said it would be the end of SOE. Well, they're still here. And Smedley was kind enough to take some time to talk to me about this very subject. Click past the cut for more! Continue reading Free for All: Smedley helps us understand free-to-play Free for All: Smedley helps us understand free-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Allods Online's Undaunted update coming October 11th Posted: 28 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Allods Online The latest Allods Online press release features the words "more dangerous enemies" in both italics and a big, bold capitalized font. As such, we're thinking that gPotato is keen on highlighting the fact that the game's latest update is going to give players quite a challenge. We'll find out for sure on October 11th, as Allods' Undaunted update brings new bosses, more astral demons, and "a harrowing survival mode" to Astrum Nival's $12 million free-to-play opus. The patch is geared toward high-level players, but never fear newbs, you haven't been forgotten. Undaunted features a "refreshed" new player experience as well as a streamlined UI that gPotato says makes it "easier than ever to take charge of the action." [Source: gPotato press release] Allods Online's Undaunted update coming October 11th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

FFXIV takes to YouTube Live for its one-year anniversary Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Final Fantasy XIV, Community Q&A Lights... camera... internet connection... aaand action! To celebrate Final Fantasy XIV's first anniversary, Square-Enix's Naoki Yoshida will be taking the stage for a live edition of the Producer's Letter. This event will happen on October 4th at 8:00 p.m. EDT on YouTube Live. Yoshida will use the time to field player questions from around the world and will also talk about the future of the title as it heads into its second year of operation. Final Fantasy XIV will celebrate its first anniversary on September 30th. For Massively's musings on where the game's been and where it's going, make sure to check out this past week's Mog Log for the full skinny! FFXIV takes to YouTube Live for its one-year anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: FFXIV Core

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