MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Road to Mordor: Ten up, ten down

Posted: 08 Oct 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Road to Mordor
Levels in MMOs are best when accepted as a traditional aspect of the game that blends into the background. It's weird when you hold them up to scrutiny because it's very hard to mesh these arbitrary numbers with the pretend "reality" of the game world. I've always thought it was weird that I could get high enough in levels to return to old fortresses of evil and be basically invincible. Plus, how can there be bats and goats that are both level 5 and level 75? Is there an animal commando school somewhere I haven't seen?

In any case, while I enjoy the ding as much as anyone else, levels have lost their luster to me. The fact that Rise of Isengard added 10 new ones versus, say, five or none, doesn't really mean much in the long run. There isn't a lot tied to these new levels other than a small handful of mostly recycled skills and the typical increase in stats, so for me there's really no rush to climb through them. However, as with any first week or two out of release, leveling seems to be a huge area of focus for many players as they seek to hit that end cap once again and re-establish the status quo.

Still, it's important to some, and our kinship has spent a good amount of time chewing over these new levels, how to get them, and whether or not they're worth a hill of beans in this crazy, messed-up world. Today in our laser-focused Lord of the Rings Online column, I'm going to sort those beans. I may even eat one or two; beans are great for protein and fiber.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Ten up, ten down

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Ten up, ten down originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    WRUP: Some rules of the Massively garden edition

    Posted: 08 Oct 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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    The flowers in this image are not moving.  If you believe they are moving, you should not watch this image.
    While you're in the Massively garden, you will notice flowers. Please do not taunt, cajole, or bargain with the flowers. Do not under ever promise the flowers cookies or other enticements. Do not pick the flowers, and if you see someone picking the flowers, please hide your eyes and walk in the opposite direction. If a stem becomes bent or broken, do not pick up the bud or inhale the vapors. Under absolutely no circumstances are you to provide the flowers with small bits of meat. Eating the flowers on the stem is fine.

    In other news, it's time for this week's installment of WRUP. This time around, in addition to talking about our weekend plans, we've decided to discuss whether or not you can have too many options at character creation. So jump on past the cut to see what we're up to, and let us know what you've got planned for the next few days in the comments. There are no flowers in the comments.

    Continue reading WRUP: Some rules of the Massively garden edition

    MassivelyWRUP: Some rules of the Massively garden edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: How much time do you spend on character concepts?

      Posted: 08 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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      Sure, good enough.
      There are people for whom the character concept stage consists of logging in to City of Heroes for the first time, glancing at the available archetypes, and immediately creating a darkness-based Corruptor without a second though. Then there are people for whom character concepts are an art, something created gradually through a great deal of consideration, time spent out of the game devoted to deciding whether or not one powerset would work slightly better with another.

      Sometimes it's a roleplaying thing, and sometimes it's just a min-maxing thing, but it's possible to take a character concept very seriously before you hit the "create" button. Or you could be perfectly happy with something that looks cool and just move on from there. So how much time do you spend on your concepts before you make your character? Do you have a clear picture in your head of whom you want to play before the game launches, or do you just decide at the moment and roll with it?

      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: How much time do you spend on character concepts? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Champions' Art Corner shows Golden Age costumes, new Powerhouse locales

        Posted: 07 Oct 2011 08:00 PM PDT

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        Champions Online - Powerhouse
        Cryptic has updated its Champions Online website with an interesting look at what's next for the superhero MMO's costumes and environments. The update is part of the Art Corner miniseries, which is a bi-weekly look behind the curtain at Cryptic's art department.

        Lead artist Brad Stokan takes us through some new bells and whistles in development for Champions' Powerhouse locale. If you're unfamiliar with the game, the Powerhouse is a type of testing ground where heroes can sample new abilities and work on their builds. This week's Art Corner shows off several new customizable dueling arenas as well as a theater designed to host a variety of in-game events.

        We also get a glimpse of Champions' new Golden Age costume set, and as the name indicates, the set is all about paying homage to a period in comic book history that featured "edgy anti-heroes who went to war with crime fully decked out with weapons, equipment, straps, pouches, and more pouches!"

        MassivelyChampions' Art Corner shows Golden Age costumes, new Powerhouse locales originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Star Trek's Online path to F2P delves into Lore Missions

        Posted: 07 Oct 2011 07:00 PM PDT

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        Screenshot -- Star Trek Online
        Star Trek Online's path to F2P continues today with a sneak-peek at the game's upcoming Lore Missions. It's no secret that Star Trek has quite the hardcore following of lore junkies whose very lifeblood is fueled by the franchise's canon. In light of this, Cryptic is introducing Lore Missions, which are "non-combat daily missions available to all Federation and Klingon Defense Force characters."

        Completing a Lore Mission will grant players a history datachip, and each datachip contains a record of a piece of the timeline that spans between Star Trek: Nemesis and the current year 2409. The missions will also test players on their lore knowledge, and correct answers will grant a reward which includes the much sought-after Dilithium Ore.

        There's much more in store for Lore Missions in the future, as well. Future installments will include "stories from the Federation's past, tales of the great heroes of the Empire, briefings on the many antagonists in Star Trek Online and more." So get out there and start researching, people!

        MassivelyStar Trek's Online path to F2P delves into Lore Missions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Betawatch: October 1-7, 2011

        Posted: 07 Oct 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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        Betawatch
        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.

        It's been a very quiet week on Betawatch, but we do have some post-apocalyptic goodness for you with the addition of Living After War to our closed beta list.

        Follow along after the jump for the latest Betawatch list.

        Continue reading Betawatch: October 1-7, 2011

        MassivelyBetawatch: October 1-7, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Old Republic playable at New York Comic Con

          Posted: 07 Oct 2011 05:30 PM PDT

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          Star Wars The Old Republic - Republic trooper with BFG9000
          Mark October 13th through the 16th on your calendars, Star Wars: The Old Republic faithful, especially if you'll be anywhere in the vicinity of New York City.

          BioWare's Hutt-sized Star Wars MMO will be hogging the spotlight at this year's New York Comic Con, and you'll have a couple of opportunities to get some hands-on time with the highly anticipated sci-fi title. The Alderaan and Huttball warzones will be playable at SWTOR's booth, while a few of the developers will be featured on three separate panels over the course of the event.

          If you like a little alcohol with your Star Wars, you'll also want to make note of a dev-hosted meet-and-greet at District 36 on Wednesday, October 12th. All the details are available at the official site, so what are you waiting for?

          MassivelyThe Old Republic playable at New York Comic Con originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Wasteland Diaries: Player-run economy

          Posted: 07 Oct 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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          Fallen Earth screenshot
          The economy in Fallen Earth has been stagnant for a while. The auction house has been just a place for trader clones (with maxed social skill) to post wares with a small markup from the NPC vendors prices. In some cases, these traders would post mats that could only be bought in PvP conflict towns or found in secret or dangerous scavenging spots. It was hard to be competitive in a market like that. Every resource had an unlimited supply thanks to the vendors. There were a few items that actually worked on the supply and demand principle, like vibrant and volatile chemicals and pre-fall tech. These items had prices that were dictated completely by the players. Through competition, the prices got pretty reasonable (and I even bought a few pre-fall techs to allieviate the Citadel grind).

          All that has changed now, and the Fallen Earth team has made some massive changes to the way the economy works. In this post, I'll take a look at what has changed. I'll try to give my best guess about what will happen to the economy in the coming weeks. A great many players are already freaking out about this concept on the forums and in global chat. While I admit it's too early to tell what will become of us in the near future, there's no need to panic. People were rage-quitting the game mere hours after the changes were made. If you ask me, it's a bit premature to make a decision like that. Nobody really knows what will happen, but click past the cut to see my best guesses.

          Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Player-run economy

          MassivelyWasteland Diaries: Player-run economy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Storyboard: The leveling effect

            Posted: 07 Oct 2011 04:30 PM PDT

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            You're in some grand company.
            A couple of weeks ago, I took a look at some of the issues that crop up when you start considering in-game details in the context of roleplaying. Today, I'm doing something very similar but in the opposite direction. Instead of fitting verisimilitude into the game world, I'm trying to fit game mechanics into the game world. And if you've ever tried to explain in-character what level you are, you should understand that this is an arduous task to say the least.

            Of course, to some people, the very idea is ridiculous. There's a reason why gameplay and story generally remain in two different baskets: When you start trying to mix them too closely, everything gets dicey. The problem, of course, is that level isn't just a mechanical concept; it's tied to almost everything in the game world. And that begets all sorts of questions, the same sort that you start asking when you ask yourself about time, but from a different angle.

            Continue reading Storyboard: The leveling effect

            MassivelyStoryboard: The leveling effect originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Lord of the Rings Online dev diary outlines Epic Story design

              Posted: 07 Oct 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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              Screenshot -- Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard
              Lord of the Rings Online fans, we know you've all probably been quite busy adventuring through Isengard, but perhaps it's time you take a break. We've got just the thing for you to read while you relax, too. Light up some pipe-weed and have a seat as Turbine's Jeff Libby takes you on a tour of the design of Rise of Isengard's epic questline.

              Libby expounds on the "T-Factor," or the Tolkien Factor, which governs the design of the game and the Epic Story in particular. In essence, the iconic characters and locations from Tolkien lore are said to have a higher T-Factor, and the devs aim for the Epic Story to have a particularly high T-Factor. The devs also introduced phasing with Rise of Isengard, which allows the environment to change based on players' actions. For the full, spiffy details on Rise of Isengard's Epic Story, head on over to the official dev diary.

              MassivelyLord of the Rings Online dev diary outlines Epic Story design originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Massively exclusive: Introducing WindSlayer 2

              Posted: 07 Oct 2011 03:30 PM PDT

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              WindSlayer 2
              One of the things we Massively writers love to do is to be the conduit between you and hidden gems in the MMO world. While high-profile games may get all the hubbub, it's just as important to bring to you the scrappy upstarts that are looking to make a name for themselves.

              With that in mind, we'd like to introduce you to WindSlayer 2, a 2-D side-scrolling title that keeps the action fast and furious. Ignited Games is understandably excited to show off WindSlayer 2 as it enters closed beta and is prepared to woo you with a series of developer diaries showing off this fun little sequel to WindSlayer.

              So gird your loins, hold on to your butts, and hit that jump to see what WindSlayer 2 is all about!

              Continue reading Massively exclusive: Introducing WindSlayer 2

              MassivelyMassively exclusive: Introducing WindSlayer 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Aeria teases Eden Eternal's Templar class

                Posted: 07 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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                Eden Eternal - Templar
                Eden Eternal is adding features at a rapid clip. The free-to-play fantasy title from Aeria Games recently announced its player housing implementation and is now following that up with some info about the new Templar class.

                Actually, scratch that. Today's press release -- and the accompanying video -- doesn't feature much info at all beyond a tease for what Aeria calls "a very important class [for] those who wish to fight their way through all the new dungeons in the new upcoming content."

                In any event, the Templar is currently scheduled to go live in "early October," and you can watch the teaser clip after the break.

                [Source: Aeria Games press release]

                Continue reading Aeria teases Eden Eternal's Templar class

                MassivelyAeria teases Eden Eternal's Templar class originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  MMObility: The rise of the browser

                  Posted: 07 Oct 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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                  Glitch screenshot
                  Over the last week I have been obsessing over Glitch, the new browser-based MMORPG brought to us by Tiny Speck. I will go into details of why in my Rise and Shiny column, but for now, let's just say that I think it is one of the greatest things I have come across in a long time. For the record, I was talking about Glitch before it was popular (that hipster cred should get my a free pair of glasses in Glitch!) and was excited about starting this column because of games like Glitch.

                  In short, I knew that the browser market was huge, and I knew it was only going to grow bigger. Yes, I know what you're thinking, and yes I am claiming that we are starting to see the end of the heavy-duty client and demand for expensive hardware and upgrades. It's a big prediction, but click past the cut and let me explain.

                  Continue reading MMObility: The rise of the browser

                  MassivelyMMObility: The rise of the browser originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    SWTOR dev diary comments on companion control

                    Posted: 07 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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                    SWTOR companions
                    A couple of weeks ago, BioWare began a diary outlining the Star Wars: The Old Republic companion. In the second part of the companion developer's diary released today, Senior Game Designer William Wallace tackles the intricate mechanics of companion control. MMO players' opinions vary on how pets should be handled in combat situations. If not handled well, companions can overpower a group sometimes and completely ruin it at others.

                    Wallace admits that BioWare's vision for companions has been augmented based on how players actually used the NPCs during gameplay. The team added passive and active controls over companions. In fact, if a player only wishes to control some companion actions but not others, BioWare provided ways to do that, too.

                    We also know that sometimes groups can be split up. Wallace explains how SWTOR works around that:
                    If a player leaves the group or its proximity, to travel to a vendor for instance, he is able to summon his companion for the journey. Upon reentering proximity of the group, the companion is automatically dismissed. The remaining group can temporarily substitute the missing player with one of their companions if desired.
                    Companions are a staple in BioWare games. Developers promise to continue to make the companion gaming experience better -- meeting or exceeding your expectations.

                    MassivelySWTOR dev diary comments on companion control originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    This Week In MMO: Night at the movies edition

                    Posted: 07 Oct 2011 12:30 PM PDT

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                    This Week In MMO: Episode 63
                    This Week In MMO is all about movies: how some games compare to movies and which movies will be made into games. The BioWare doctors hinted at a Mass Effect MMO once again, but what does our panel of hosts think? Mike B, aka Fony of ZAM, believes that the Mass Effect intellectual property is very similar to the movie industry, such that Mass Effect can take a few years of downtime, then just like some movie remakes, bounce back even stronger as an MMO.

                    What about movies becoming MMOs? Jasmine Hruschak, of Gamebreaker's The Sanctum, is scared of any movie becoming a game. Traditionally, these platform conversions are disastrous, according to IRLJasmine. However, Gary Gannon agrees with Avatar director James Cameron's sentiments and believes that the world of the Nav'i could one day be comparable to the world of World of Warcraft.

                    Catch all this and more movie-to-MMO comparisons after the break on Gamebreaker.TV's This Week In MMO!

                    Continue reading This Week In MMO: Night at the movies edition

                    MassivelyThis Week In MMO: Night at the movies edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Steel Legions opens up a can of Warfare on all declared enemies

                    Posted: 07 Oct 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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                    Steel Legions
                    For all those out there who boast about how uber their show pony mount is, Steel Legions horde of tanks, artillery and other weapons of awesome mass destruction begs to differ. The free-to-play title is bringing more explosive firepower to the battlefield with its Warfare update.

                    In this patch, players can upgrade their tanks with a variety of new modules, starting with experience modules. These do pretty much what you'd expect: increase the rate of XP gained as you plow through the chaos of the fight.

                    The Warfare update is also adding a marketplace for players to purchase better goods for their machines, new weapon systems like the Kinetic Deflector and Mazer Cannon, and an oil refinery that can be fought over for control of the liquid black gold.

                    Steel Legions is a free-to-play browser-based MMO that takes place in an alternate timeline when steam-driven tanks clash for control over the world. You can watch the trailer for the Warfare update after the jump.

                    Continue reading Steel Legions opens up a can of Warfare on all declared enemies

                    MassivelySteel Legions opens up a can of Warfare on all declared enemies originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    SWTOR asks who's better: Jedi Knight or Bounty Hunter

                    Posted: 07 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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                    SWTOR: Choose your side #1
                    In the latest Friday update, the developers at BioWare ask one of the ultimate questions: Which class is better? In this three-and-half-minute video, the Jedi Knight and the Bounty Hunter of Star Wars: The Old Republic are pitted against each other. The criteria for winning ranges between the best story to the most powerful weapons, but ultimately, it's up to you. According to the video, it's time to choose your side.

                    Senior Writer Hall Hood expresses that although the Jedi are typically good guys, "you get to be whatever kind of Jedi Knight you think is best. You don't necessarily have to follow the Jedi Code. In fact, you can violate it pretty regularly." On the other side, Writer Randy Begel explains that the Bounty Hunter does not have to be the most evil all the time. "The Bounty Hunter can live by a code as much as the Jedi does. It's just that they don't always see eye to eye on how that plays out," Begel explains.

                    Decide for yourself after the break; we have the complete video for your enjoyment.

                    Continue reading SWTOR asks who's better: Jedi Knight or Bounty Hunter

                    MassivelySWTOR asks who's better: Jedi Knight or Bounty Hunter originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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