MMO Updates

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• Bigpoint's DarkOrbit turns five this month
• Age of Conan dev update talks open-world PvP, House of Crom
• Richard Garriott: 'Exceptionally unusual pressures' helped tank Tabula Rasa
• BioWare co-founder and live producer get SWTOR launch day tattoos
• Fallen Earth's 2.27 patch introduces factional warfare
• On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me...
• The Daily Grind: What plans have you made for SWTOR early access?
• Final Fantasy XIV releases notes for patch 1.20
• Not So Massively: Diablo III news overload edition
• Drakensang announces 'massive content updates'
• Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- The Underworld
• ArcheAge CBT4 vids offer a closer look at hang-gliding
• Star Wars: The Old Republic preps for guild imports, server list takes shape
• Mesmerizing revelation: Guild Wars 2's Mesmer is the final class
• Lord of the Rings Online delves into the Ring of Isengard
• EVE Online Fanfest 2012 tickets on sale now
• Wings Over Atreia: Solorius medley
• Guild Wars 2 devs fielding your questions this Wednesday

Bigpoint's DarkOrbit turns five this month Posted: 13 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual If you'd never heard of Bigpoint's browser MMO known as DarkOrbit prior to last month's space drone microtransaction brouhaha, you're not alone. According to the company, though, lots of people have heard of the game, which launched in 2006 and is currently celebrating its fifth anniversary. Bigpoint claims a community of over 65 million registered players, and a news release says that DarkOrbit is "the most popular and biggest space game worldwide." DarkOrbit is a 2-D flash game that puts players in control of a spaceship while working for one of three corporations. [Source: Bigpoint press release] Bigpoint's DarkOrbit turns five this month originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Age of Conan dev update talks open-world PvP, House of Crom Posted: 13 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons Funcom game director Craig Morrison has released his monthly Age of Conan development update a couple of weeks early. Morrison usually closes each month with a summary of where the game has been and where it's going, and the December version is no different save for the mid-month release date. While there's a lot of info, the most interesting bits concern the projected live date of the long-awaited House of Crom dungeon. Morrison says that the new content will most likely debut on January 11th or 12th, and that the dungeon will be playable on AoC's test shard over the Christmas holidays. Also new this month is a detailed explanation of the game's upcoming open-world PvP content. When the new feature was first announced, the game's hardcore PvP community unleashed an epic tidal wave of tears due to suppositions about "PVE sheep trying to pass in PVP wolf's clothing," not to mention concerns about a possible rehash of the game's disastrous Shrines of Bori mechanic. Morrison spends several paragraphs of this month's update explaining what Funcom has learned since Bori, and how that knowledge is going to translate into a fun system that isn't exploitable via PvE mechanics. You can read the full update at the official AoC website. Age of Conan dev update talks open-world PvP, House of Crom originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: December dev update

Richard Garriott: 'Exceptionally unusual pressures' helped tank Tabula Rasa Posted: 13 Dec 2011 07:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Interviews, MMO industry, Tabula Rasa What truly happened with the sad tale of Tabula Rasa, the scifi MMO that had the full backing of Richard Garriott and NCsoft -- and yet lasted only 15 months before being shuttered? For the full scoop, it's good to go right to the source: General British himself. Garriott sat down with Eurogamer for a candid dissection of what went wrong with Tabula Rasa. Ultimately, he feels that he did not do enough to make the game the best it could've been. Initially, Garriott's team brought on several Asian developers to help shape the title to be appealing to the Eastern market. The partnership didn't work out, and after two years the team basically started over. By then, Tabula Rasa was already struggling. "So Tabula Rasa started its two-year late restart under exceptionally unusual pressures and with understandable corporate discontent, which made it very difficult to finish," he said. Garriott then acknowledges that the MMO's failure has caused players to be wary about his future projects: "Since Ultima Online was a fair time back and Tabula Rasa had its troubles, it makes perfect sense that people would go, 'I'm cautious as to what my expectations are.'" Richard Garriott: 'Exceptionally unusual pressures' helped tank Tabula Rasa originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Eurogamer

BioWare co-founder and live producer get SWTOR launch day tattoos Posted: 13 Dec 2011 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Launches, Humor, Star Wars: The Old Republic How do you know if a game studio is committed to a title? What if the studio co-founder gets a big ol' tattoo inked on his bicep? Words are cheap, after all; tattoos show you mean business. This is exactly what BioWare's Greg Zeschuk did recently, and he hopped onto Twitter to show off his new Star Wars: The Old Republic "launch beard and tattoo" to the populace. The tattoo is the hybrid Republic-Empire logo, and was done in full color. Not to be outdone, Live Producer Cory Butler also took the plunge and got the tattoo as well. Star Wars: The Old Republic's early access begins today, with the game's official launch slated for December 20th. Don't forget to read up on the game with Massively's SWTOR Launch Guide! BioWare co-founder and live producer get SWTOR launch day tattoos originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: DoktorZee twitter, Ask a Jedi

Fallen Earth's 2.27 patch introduces factional warfare Posted: 13 Dec 2011 06:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic GamersFirst has patched its post-apocalyptic sci-fi MMORPG Fallen Earth to version 2.27. There a slew of additions and tweaks, but the biggest is undoubtedly the addition of new faction territory control mechanics. According to the patch notes, alliances are for losers, as Fallen Earth's version of factional warfare is a no-holds barred six-way showdown. The factional control area is north of Blaine, and it consists of 13 flag-control points. Seven of these points feature keeps that players may capture and maintain, as well as partake of various perks contained within (like the new Death Toll gear). That's not all, but you'll need to head to the official Fallen Earth website to learn more. Fallen Earth's 2.27 patch introduces factional warfare originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: 2.27 patch notes

On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... Posted: 13 Dec 2011 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Contests, Free-to-play, Giveaways On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP! It's year two, which means we can officially call it annual: Massively's annual 12 Days of Giveaways has begun! Longtime Massively readers will remember our mountain of goodies from last year's 12 Days event, and we're repeating it this year. We've rounded up a pile of holiday gifts from our favorite developers, arranging them under the virtual tree for you to open up. We'll be doing a new giveaway each day, so you'll have 24 hours to enter. Ready to get started? Turbine is kicking off the festivities Middle-earth-style with a lifetime Lord of the Rings Online VIP account for one lucky winner. VIP status gives you all sorts of perks such as an uncapped gold limit, more character slots, free Turbine Points every month, and much more. Even better, this lifetime VIP account is bundled with a Rise of Isengard legendary edition. The legendary edition includes the full RoI expansion along with plenty of extra goodies: mounts, cosmetic armor, an in-game title, bonus quest packs, and 1,000 Turbine Points for a shopping spree! All you need to do to enter is be eligible according to our contest rules, then hit the comment button and let us know what you'll do first if you win the prize. The entry deadline is tomorrow, December 14th, at 9:00 a.m. EST. We'll choose and contact a winner as soon as the deadline arrives. Best of luck, and please join us in thanking Turbine for contributing such a generous prize! On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What plans have you made for SWTOR early access? Posted: 13 Dec 2011 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Events, real-world, Launches, The Daily Grind, Humor, Star Wars: The Old Republic Today is the big day: Early access for Star Wars: The Old Republic is finally here. In unrelated news, a large percentage of the Massively staff members have been stricken by a mysterious virus that renders them unable to write. Most of them have said they expect to be back... Ah, whom are we kidding? They're playing SWTOR, and so are you. We're curious to hear what sort of adjustments you've made in your life to make the most of your playing time. While we know people aren't going completely overboard by quitting their jobs and sending their children to the neighbor's house, we've heard plenty of tales already of people doing class work ahead of time or completing work projects early, clearing the decks for extra leisure time. Are you one of those planning ahead? Have you taken care of work early, warned the family that you'll be indulging in some extra gaming, or made other plans to ensure you get the most from early access? Tell us about it in the comments! 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 plans have you made for SWTOR early access? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Final Fantasy XIV releases notes for patch 1.20 Posted: 12 Dec 2011 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Classes, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV Expected to drop on to the live servers later this week, Final Fantasy XIV's patch 1.20 is bringing with it several large-scale overhauls to combat, leveling, and crafting. In anticipation of the patch release, the patch notes have just recently been posted on the official site; they contain a number of new pieces of information. Among the news is the revelation that players will be able to ascend even further in the ranks of the Grand Companies, and there are new rewards from the vendors as you climb to Sergeant Third Class. The patch notes also contain the finalized levels and names of the various adjusted actions as well as discussion of the game's new system for allocating bonus points per class. There's also a small preview of the fight against Good King Moggle Mog XII with the video embedded just after the break. If you're looking forward to the patch, it's still not quite here, but having the full list of notes to inspect should help take some of the edge off. Continue reading Final Fantasy XIV releases notes for patch 1.20 Final Fantasy XIV releases notes for patch 1.20 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Good King Moggle Mog XII, Patch 1.20 notes

Not So Massively: Diablo III news overload edition Posted: 12 Dec 2011 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Culture, Game mechanics, Lore, New titles, Previews, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Not So Massively, Crafting, MOBA It's been a bumper week for online gaming news, with an absolute flood of new information from the world of game development. Rock Paper Shotgun gots some hands-on time with upcoming online FPS Tribes: Ascend and delivered a cautious preview. Blacklight: Retribution's massive character customisation options were detailed in a new dev diary video, adding smiley faces and rainbows (yes, rainbows) to this dark and brutal FPS. Diablo III opened the floodgates on news this week with details on the three artisan NPCs, news of the new Battle.Net Balance system, a new cinematic video, and the news that the unattuned runestone system has been scrapped. Heroes of Newerth released its complex new hero Shadowblade this week, while three other MOBAs discussed their own upcoming characters. League of Legends revealed gameplay details on its highly anticipated Nine Tail Fox champion, who will finally make an appearance in the game with the next patch. The Rise of Immortals team revealed further details on upcoming support damage-dealer Kavashiir, and Bloodline Champions developers gave us the low down on their electrifying new bloodline Stormcaller. Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other big online games that aren't quite MMOs. Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III news overload edition Not So Massively: Diablo III news overload edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Drakensang announces 'massive content updates' Posted: 12 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, Free-to-play Bigpoint Games has announced that its free-to-play hack-and-slash title Drakensang Online is receiving a "massive content update." Between now and December 25th, Drakensang players will be receiving a couple of large updates, plus a few smaller changes as well. The updates will introduce players to the Norlande, which will provide "a dozen new levels, numerous monsters and champions, new bosses, and new character items and equipment." To top it off, a player can experience all of this content as a new class, the agile Ranger. Rangers will also bring with them "a whole new skill system that makes skills easier and better to use, and significantly improves gameplay." To get in on the action, head on over to the game's official site. [Source: Bigpoint Games press release] Drakensang announces 'massive content updates' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- The Underworld Posted: 12 Dec 2011 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Flameseeker Chronicles, Guides All is still quiet on the Guild Wars 2 front, and I'm almost thankful since I was hoping to be able to go over The Underworld in Guild Wars this week. There's a lot more to say about this area because it's so much more difficult, but you can do it -- I promise. The general tips I gave last week apply to this area as much as the others, so take a moment to skim through those as well. There's so much to say that I'm anxious to dive right in, so let's not waste any time. Follow along after the cut! Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- The Underworld Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars' elite areas -- The Underworld originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

ArcheAge CBT4 vids offer a closer look at hang-gliding Posted: 12 Dec 2011 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, ArcheAge, Sandbox MMO Culture has been, ahem, hanging out in ArcheAge's fourth Korean closed beta test, and the fansite has posted a handful of new videos that show off various aspects of XLGAMES' forthcoming sandpark opus. First up are a couple of clips that feature the game's unique hang-gliding mechanics, and if you're anything like us, you'll marvel not only at the slick flight model but also at some of the locations the player soars over, around, and through. A third video shows off ArcheAge's gorgeous water and swimming effects, and you can find all three clips embedded after the break. Continue reading ArcheAge CBT4 vids offer a closer look at hang-gliding ArcheAge CBT4 vids offer a closer look at hang-gliding originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: MMO Culture

Star Wars: The Old Republic preps for guild imports, server list takes shape Posted: 12 Dec 2011 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Launches, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic At 7:00 a.m. EST tomorrow morning, the coveted early access invitations will be sent out for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Some of them, anyway. (Some players will have to wait a little bit longer.) If you're in one of the many guilds that prepared and recruited prior to the game's launch via the on-site recruitment feature, you're also in line to start in on the early guild deployment, which is outlined in detail on the official site. Long story short, you'll be given your guild's server assignment, and if you're unhappy with it, you're going to have to start up on a different server rather than using the automated joining. Unfortunately, players aren't being given a full preview of servers ahead of time, but based on the deployment messages, a list is taking shape over on Ask a Jedi. The list is, of course, not absolute -- it's simply what servers are known that have been passed along -- but it's certainly extensive, with several different PvE, PvP, and RP servers for both US coasts and Europe. Keep checking back for more information, and keep your eyes on your mailbox early tomorrow morning. Star Wars: The Old Republic preps for guild imports, server list takes shape originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Guild Deployment Details, Server List Compilation

Mesmerizing revelation: Guild Wars 2's Mesmer is the final class Posted: 12 Dec 2011 01:15 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Previews, Guild Wars 2 No, faithful Guild Wars 2 fans, this is not an illusion: The Mesmer is in the game, so stop rubbing your eyes and pinching your arms in disbelief. To be honest, if ArenaNet had announced that the eighth and final profession for Guild Wars 2 was anything but the Mesmer, there would have been worldwide riots. Fortunately, such is not the case, as the studio confirmed in a brief tweet that the Mesmer would be the last addition to the class roster. According to the tweet, the full reveal of the Mesmer was slated for Wednesday, but the CMs said that "someone jumped the gun" and let the information slip earlier than desired. Apparently GameReactor Denmark jumped the embargo and posted a video about the reveal (the video has since been removed from the site). We'll be waiting for the official unveiling with bated breath! Mesmerizing revelation: Guild Wars 2's Mesmer is the final class originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Guild Wars 2 twitter

Lord of the Rings Online delves into the Ring of Isengard Posted: 12 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries, Dungeons Today's Lord of the Rings Online dev diary brings players behind the scenes with the upcoming instance cluster, Ring of Isengard. This new update includes three small fellowships, one fellowship, and one raid, ensuring that there's something for groups of every size. The team is working off the recent success of the instance cluster In Their Absence. The team states that "[Ring of Isengard] is a return to the classic LotRO cluster model with In Their Absence's added benefit of tiers." The cluster puts a large focus on interacting with the environment, with the addition of ballistas, saw mills, and more. The diary also gives many details on the story of the cluster, but we're not going to give it all away. Head on over to the official dev diary and read it for yourself. Lord of the Rings Online delves into the Ring of Isengard originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Lord of the Rings Online dev diary

EVE Online Fanfest 2012 tickets on sale now Posted: 12 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Events, real-world, News items, Sandbox Hold up there, space cowboy. We know everyone's excited about that other sci-fi game, but EVE Online fans have something to look forward to as well. CCP has announced that tickets are now on sale for the 2012 EVE Online Fanfest. The event will be taking place in Reykjavik, Iceland from March 22nd to the 24th. Tickets cost 100 USD until January 31st, at which point the price rises to 125 USD. The Fanfest will play host to many events such as roundtable discussions with the devs, contests, auctions, tournaments, and of course, a pub crawl with the devs. To get more information and/or purchase tickets, just head on over to the 2012 EVE Online Fanfest official site. EVE Online Fanfest 2012 tickets on sale now originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EVE Insider

Wings Over Atreia: Solorius medley Posted: 12 Dec 2011 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Culture, Opinion, Humor, Wings Over Atreia It's simply inescapable: Everywhere I go, I am inundated with tunes invoking the holiday spirit. It started a while ago, and I thought I had artfully dodged it by turning off the radio, avoiding stores, and just keeping immersed in game. But now, even when I log into Aion I cannot escape; just one quick port into Sanctum or Pandemonium and the tinkling tunes of the season waft to my ears. So why fight it, why resist? Heck, why not join in the throngs of holiday revelers by belting out the songs while shopping, entertaining guests, or even cruising through the drive-through? After all, I am not a Grinch, just a gamer. And the last thing we need is people thinking Aion negatively influences our lives, right? Solorius is just around the corner, so in the spirit of giving, I am going to share with you a compilation of some of my favorite holiday tunes because I want to be in the spirit and I want to help spread the cheer! Well, that and because of the old adage that the only way to get rid of a tune that's stuck in your head is to pass it on. So fold your wings, grab some 'nog, and join me past the cut for a little Duel-tide spirit! And don't be shy -- sing along! (No one's listening, I promise.) Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Solorius medley Wings Over Atreia: Solorius medley originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Guild Wars 2 devs fielding your questions this Wednesday Posted: 12 Dec 2011 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Guild Wars 2 How is ArenaNet countering the massive Star Wars-related hype bomb that's detonating across the MMO industry this week? Hopefully by ignoring it and continuing to work on Guild Wars 2. That said, the company is trotting out Jon Peters and Johnathan Sharp to field fan questions during a live IRC chat later in the week. The shindig goes down on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. EST, and if you're not familiar with the IRC platform, Guild Wars 2 Guru has a helpful web client that will speed you on your way. You'll need to submit your questions for moderator approval (translation: don't expect an answer to beta or release date queries), so head to GW2 Guru to read all the rules. Guild Wars 2 devs fielding your questions this Wednesday originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Guild Wars 2 Guru

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