MMO Updates |
- Trion's Hal Hanlin and Mike Daugherty give details on RIFT's update 1.6
- Wargaming.net heading to G-Star 2011
- Meet the Caldari Naga, EVE's latest battlecruiser
- Star Trek Online dev blog talks test server rewards
- More pets, more combos, more burning: ArenaNet brings big changes to Guild Wars 2
- The Daily Grind: Are we cheating studios by not paying for free-to-play?
- Beta registration opened for upcoming sci-fi MMOFPS Repulse
- Ask Massively: Paying-to-win edition
- Aeria releases new Lime Odyssey video, screenshots
- Star Trek Online opens up testing for the dilithium exchange
- This Week in MMO: MechWarrior edition
- Alt1 Games shutting down Troy Online
- The Guild Counsel: Are you in a guild?
- Captain's Log: A two-minute read could save you 15% or more on nerdrage insurance
- PAX East tickets on sale now
- WildStar Wednesday tackles the sandbox vs. themepark debate
- The Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary
- Marvel Universe Online reveals Thing as newest playable character
- Boss around your minions with EverQuest II's tradeskill apprentice system
- Massively exclusive: WindSlayer 2 PvP dev diary
- Gameforge laying off 100 employees, canceling at least two games
- The Secret World beta coming 'before Christmas,' forums erupt [Updated]
- DCUO registers 120,000 new players, sees concurrent user spike
- EVE Online introducing new nebulae
- Star Wars: The Old Republic releases server details
- The Perfect Ten: MMOs in movies and television
| Trion's Hal Hanlin and Mike Daugherty give details on RIFT's update 1.6 Posted: 04 Nov 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, MMO industry, Patches, Massively Interviews, RIFT  Continue reading Trion's Hal Hanlin and Mike Daugherty give details on RIFT's update 1.6
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| Wargaming.net heading to G-Star 2011 Posted: 04 Nov 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Real life, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, War, Free-to-play, World of Tanks  The team has also launched a promotional Korean website, and Wargaming.net seems intent on creating a large presence in the Asian gaming market for its free-to-play action MMO brands. "We've created a truly high-quality AAA title with World of Tanks [which is] already wildly successful in Russia and in the West," said Wargaming.net CEO Victor Kislyi via press release. "Now we are looking forward to promoting our product [in] the mature and competitive Korean market." [Source: Wargaming.net press release]
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| Meet the Caldari Naga, EVE's latest battlecruiser Posted: 04 Nov 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox  In addition to its fearsome lines and considerable bulk, the Naga is "equally capable of fitting large torpedo launchers, large rail guns or even blasters, [and] is easily the most flexible weapons platform of the four new battlecruisers," according to the latest CCP dev blog. Head to the official site for further info and additional images.
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| Star Trek Online dev blog talks test server rewards Posted: 04 Nov 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Bugs, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries  The dev team has increased the character transfer limit, and players may now copy up to three of their avatars from the main server. D'Angelo outlines the various rewards available for players willing to roll up their sleeves and get down and dirty with the bug squashing. The goodies range from tribble pets (naturally) to XP boosts and Dilithium chunks. Exclusive titles, starship slots, and duty officers are also available, so head over to the test shard and do your part!
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| More pets, more combos, more burning: ArenaNet brings big changes to Guild Wars 2 Posted: 04 Nov 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Guild Wars 2, Dev Diaries  The ArenaNet blog has a shiny new update courtesy of designer Jon Peters this morning, and it's a doozy. It brings all sorts of new details on pet improvements, the Engineer's big upgrade, and the ever-fascinating cross-profession combos. Follow along after the break for all the news! Continue reading More pets, more combos, more burning: ArenaNet brings big changes to Guild Wars 2
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| The Daily Grind: Are we cheating studios by not paying for free-to-play? Posted: 04 Nov 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind  On one hand, we're invited to do so. Studios use F2P to lure us in on the chance that we'll become so invested that we'll be tempted to spend money to either support it or gain a better play experience for ourselves. The studios set the rules for free-to-play, and we operate within them. But on the other hand, I wonder if there comes a point when one can take so much advantage of a "free" service at someone else's expense that it gets tacky or just plain wrong. Do we become the unwelcome house guest who mooches but never gives back -- and never leaves? What do you think? Should we feel obligated to pay at least something if we've played a F2P MMO for a good length of time? Or am I totally off my rocker here?  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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| Beta registration opened for upcoming sci-fi MMOFPS Repulse Posted: 03 Nov 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Galleries, Trailers, Video, New titles, News items  Closed beta registration has just begun on the official site, with a trailer and some early promotional artwork to help build excitement. The game promises to host several different play modes, as well as giving players the option to switch classes mid-combat while experimenting with a variety of different gear setups. If you're a fan of the genre, you might want to take a look at the trailer just past the cut and perhaps sign up for the beta now, rather than later. Continue reading Beta registration opened for upcoming sci-fi MMOFPS Repulse
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| Ask Massively: Paying-to-win edition Posted: 03 Nov 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, Massively Meta, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous  Today's column actually does feature a question on the oft-bandied term used to indicate a dislike for the free-to-play model, but it also features questions about our comment system and the unbearable lameness of not knowing the answer to questions. If you've got a question you would like answered in a future installment of the column, you can leave it in the comments or mail it to ask@massively.com. Winning will be implemented in a later build. Continue reading Ask Massively: Paying-to-win edition
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| Aeria releases new Lime Odyssey video, screenshots Posted: 03 Nov 2011 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play  The clip is taken directly from the game, and serves as an introduction for human characters. There's a bit of backstory relating to the history of the world and the pursuit of lime, as well as lots of idyllic long-shots featuring the game's beautiful scenery. The new screens show a variety of activities including cooking and farming as well as a group of adventurers in full armor and some player housing. Check them out below and don't forget the video clip after the cut. Continue reading Aeria releases new Lime Odyssey video, screenshots
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| Star Trek Online opens up testing for the dilithium exchange Posted: 03 Nov 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Previews, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play  The newest Path to F2P blog outlines the means for players to use the exchange system, which works both ways -- players can look to buy dilithium or Cryptic Points and are able to browse the overall market and see what other players are offering or asking. It's not quite as simple as being able to swipe your credit card and then grab some in-game money, but it's certainly blurring the lines between real currency and game money.
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| This Week in MMO: MechWarrior edition Posted: 03 Nov 2011 05:45 PM PDT Filed under: Video, Opinion, Humor, Miscellaneous, MechWarrior Online  Hit the break for the full show! Continue reading This Week in MMO: MechWarrior edition
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| Alt1 Games shutting down Troy Online Posted: 03 Nov 2011 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play  The obvious question for players, of course, becomes "what about the stuff that I bought out of the cash shop?" If you still have remaining coins for the in-game store or unused cash shop items in your character's inventory, you are eligible for a refund by contacting the customer support center by November 22nd, with refunds being credited between the 23rd and the 24th. It's a sad whimper for the game's operation to end on, but at least players won't be left out in the cold with any unused money.
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| The Guild Counsel: Are you in a guild? Posted: 03 Nov 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Polls, Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous  So I'd like to do a very unscientific poll, and I'm seeking your input. Read on for a look at a few factors that might affect the importance of guilds, and then let me know in the poll below -- are you in a guild? Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Are you in a guild?
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| Captain's Log: A two-minute read could save you 15% or more on nerdrage insurance Posted: 03 Nov 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log  Hello, computer (and players)! Welcome to this week's edition of Captain's Log, brought to you by "Geko" Insurance. (And let's just say, you may want to purchase a policy). If you are a Star Trek Online player who watches Cryptic's official forums, you know that the game experienced an Occupy movement of its own this past weekend. Even if you don't frequent the forums, you may have seen some of the concerns raised through the #STO Twitter feed. Over the weekend, players lashed out against some of the recent changes that have made their way to the Tribble test server. It may be surprising to some of you reading this, but the commotion was not related to the economy changes. The main concern is that some of the items for purchase in the C-Store are going to be changing from account-wide unlocks to per-character transactions. While I was a little perturbed at the thought too, I was happy to see that some of the misconceptions were cleared up once we got an official statement from one of the devs. But since there is a lot more to the story, let's take a look. Ensign, warp 10! And don't forget to buckle your seatbelt... Continue reading Captain's Log: A two-minute read could save you 15% or more on nerdrage insurance
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| Posted: 03 Nov 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, News items, Miscellaneous  Convention-goers, start your engines. PAX East 2012 tickets are now on sale, and if you're planning on attending, you better get movin'. Single-day tickets should last for at least a little while, but three-day tickets are always the first to go. Do take note that the convention does fall on Easter weekend this year, so if you've got plans for the holiday, you better start planning your excuse. And remember, this year's PAX Prime saw extreme numbers of fake badges being sold at the sold-out convention, so if you want to be sure to escape the scammers, buy your ticket early so you don't have to rely on scalpers later. To get your tickets, head on over to the PAX East official site.
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| WildStar Wednesday tackles the sandbox vs. themepark debate Posted: 03 Nov 2011 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, News items, Dev Diaries, WildStar  Sandbox or themepark? It's a never-ending debate around these parts of the internet. Carbine Studios knows both sides of the argument all too well, and it shows. Which side of the argument does WildStar fall on, though? If today's WildStar Wednesday dev diary is to be believed, the game straddles the fence between the two. WildStar's Executive Producer Jeremy Gaffney points out that "developer-directed game play isn't always at odds with the player-directed experience" and notes that sometimes leaning too heavily in either direction can be detrimental to the overall gameplay. As such, the developers are attempting to hit the sweet spot between sandbox and themepark gameplay. If you're interested in finding out how they plan to do that, head on over to the dev diary at WildStar's official site.
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| The Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary Posted: 03 Nov 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Events, real-world, Expansions, The Game Archaeologist  One of the privileges of writing The Game Archaeologist column here on Massively is that I get to watch over these classic MMOs as they marinate in maturity. Despite new titles being announced or released literally every day, these long-running games are the established old guard that have nothing to prove at this point. It's hard not to be a little in awe of that and gush at it. So congratulations to Asheron's Call, one of the first batch of 3-D MMOs that hit the scene back in the late '90s, for reaching its 12th anniversary! How bizarre is it to think that Asheron's Call came out the same year that we were freaking out about Y2K, seeing how far George Lucas could fall with The Phantom Menace, and paying about $1.22 a gallon for gas in the U.S.? AC almost seems legendary when you realize how far back it stretches. Join us as we sing the praises of Dereth and its citizens after the jump! Continue reading The Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary
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| Marvel Universe Online reveals Thing as newest playable character Posted: 03 Nov 2011 02:45 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, News items, Free-to-play, Marvel Universe Online  Watch out, Marvel Universe Online fans. It's clobberin' time! The Fantastic Four's Ben Grimm has been announced as the latest addition to the MUO cast. For those of you who are keeping count, Thing's arrival brings the total playable character count up to five. So keep the guesses comin', folks. Whom do you want to see next?
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| Boss around your minions with EverQuest II's tradeskill apprentice system Posted: 03 Nov 2011 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Economy, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Crafting  The new mechanics look to give you the opportunity to get more done when it comes to EQII's sprawling tradeskill game (to say nothing of the fact that you'll be able to cackle some variation on the phrase "my young apprentice" in your best Emperor Palpatine voice). Apprentices can discover nearly 100 unique recipes and they can also be customized in terms of name and appearance. Initially you'll be restricted to Coldain dwarves, but Sony Online Entertainment plans to make more races available in the future. Head to the official EQII website for all the details.
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| Massively exclusive: WindSlayer 2 PvP dev diary Posted: 03 Nov 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries  Today it's all about the brutal, cutthroat element of PvP combat. Hit the jump to read our exclusive dev diary on the subject! Continue reading Massively exclusive: WindSlayer 2 PvP dev diary
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| Gameforge laying off 100 employees, canceling at least two games Posted: 03 Nov 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Miscellaneous  Gamasutra reports that Gameforge is realigning its studio to the tune of 100 layoffs and the cancellation of at least two games, with Hellbreed and Mythos on the chopping block and Star Trek: Infinite Space not far behind "if it cannot find a co-publisher." The company will do away with its web- and client-based games divisions and restructure itself around separate development and publishing arms. The news comes on the heels of layoff announcements by CCP, NCsoft, and GamersFirst last month.
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| The Secret World beta coming 'before Christmas,' forums erupt [Updated] Posted: 03 Nov 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, Video, News items, The Secret World  Conspiracy theories abound on The Secret World's official forums due to a video released by the Montreal Gazette in which Funcom Canada CEO Miguel Caron mentions that the studio is aiming to open beta testing "before Christmas." Caron also goes on to mention that subscription fees for the game will be somewhere between $15 and $17. Needless to say, the forums are in a flurry over this new information. What does this mean for The Secret War, which was intended to grant guaranteed beta access to high-ranking players? Why begin an open beta a whole four months prior to launch? And for the love of all that's sacred, what about those Sanctuary of Secrets tokens we got months ago? Well, no one knows! Funcom has been tight-lipped on the matter, but stay tuned and we'll be sure to let you know as more news develops. Meanwhile, head on over to the official forums to join the fray, or jump past the cut for the video. [Update: Funcom has responded to these rumors and says open beta will not begin before Christmas of this year.] Continue reading The Secret World beta coming 'before Christmas,' forums erupt [Updated]
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| DCUO registers 120,000 new players, sees concurrent user spike Posted: 03 Nov 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, DC Universe Online  Smedley also said that concurrent users swelled 400% during the same time period. The one downside to the title's newfound popularity is the login queues. Earlier this year SOE consolidated all of the game's launch-day shards down to a few "megaservers" and PC Gamer reports that login queues are paying the price as a flood of F2P tire-kickers descends on Gotham City and Metropolis en masse.
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| EVE Online introducing new nebulae Posted: 03 Nov 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox  The final frontier is about to get a whole lot prettier, as CCP has announced in a dev diary today that it's working on introducing a smattering of new nebulae to EVE Online. The team hopes that doing so will make the game more immersive and realistic to players. On top of that, the new nebulae will also help to give players a sense of location. Lowsec and nullsec space will be darker, with cooler color palettes. Meanwhile, hisec space will be more colorful and saturated with warmer color palettes. And "by stellar coincidence," as the team puts it, "the dominant stellar phenomenon of each race happens to be in the same color palette as the ships of that race." For more information on the new nebulae and the reasons for their introduction, head on over to the official EVE Online dev blog.
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| Star Wars: The Old Republic releases server details Posted: 03 Nov 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Guilds, PvP, PvE, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic  It will probably not come as a shock that SWTOR is sticking with the four core server rulesets: PvE, PvP, RP-PvE, and RP-PvP. In PvE, players have to toggle an option to engage in PvP outside of specifically designated combat areas, while on PvP servers everyone is automatically flagged outside of safe areas, such as the starting zones. The RP variants are similar, except that BioWare encourages players to roleplay in character on those servers. There's no word as to whether or not GMs will be enforcing such actions. Because RP-PvP was a very recent addition to the server ruleset list, guilds participating in the pre-launch deployment program will not be able to choose those servers for launch. Instead, BioWare says that players interested in this ruleset will need to manually form a guild on their faction's homeworld after the game releases.
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| The Perfect Ten: MMOs in movies and television Posted: 03 Nov 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, City of Heroes, City of Villains, EverQuest, Guild Wars, Lord of the Rings Online, Culture, Stargate Worlds, Second Life, Humor, RIFT, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous  In today's Perfect Ten, I cobbled together a list of the first 10 MMO references that I know of from movies and TV shows. Some might be nothing more than a background detail or a throwaway line, while others are completely centered around the advertisement, er, massively multiplayer online roleplaying game. I tried hard not to use "cheats" such as fake MMOs featured in shows like The Guild, so this list is all about real-world titles with no sugar substitutes. Ready? Insert quarter and hit player one! Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMOs in movies and television
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