| The Road to Mordor: Thoughts on Update 5 Posted: 19 Nov 2011 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Patches, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor Update 5: Saruman's Obviously Not Compensating for Anything With That Tower will undoubtedly be the last hurrah of Lord of the Rings Online -- this year, that is. It's an interesting update that looks to patch in the rest of Rise of Isengard's content (namely, the instance cluster) and provide a little something-something for players who have already reached the end of the epic storyline and are looking for more. Earlier this week I took a dev tour through some of the main parts of the update, and while I wasn't able to see all of it (such as the non-raid instances), what I did preview certainly filled my head with opinions, analysis and further questions. Generally I came away pleased with what we're going to experience next month, although the comments section of the tour showed split feelings on what's in store for the patch. Is this a case of too little, too late for those dissatisfied with Rise of Isengard's release? Will it breathe new life into dungeon-running, especially for the many soloers out there? Is it what this game needs right here and now? Hit the jump and I'll give you my honest thoughts on it all, both the good and the bad. Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Thoughts on Update 5  The Road to Mordor: Thoughts on Update 5 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WRUP: Memetic invasion edition Posted: 19 Nov 2011 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Massively Meta, Miscellaneous Memetics -- from which we derive the term "meme," if you didn't know -- is a fascinating concept. To vastly oversimplify, the idea is that ideas are essentially organisms which reproduce, spread out, and eventually intersect with one another in a wide enough space. You can see it happen online almost constantly, where cat macros have given way to other image macros have led to whatever the current thing is. I think Doctor Zoidberg and Chuck Testa are the big names going. Of course, sometimes you just wind up pasting random images together, but other times it works. On an unrelated note, let's read all the WRUP entries! Because that's what this is, after all. It's the weekly feature in which the Massively writers tell you what we're doing over the weekend, and this time around we're also talking about whether or not we game with our kids. (Or would, for us childless hermits.) So read our answers past the break, and let us know what you'll be up to in the comments. Continue reading WRUP: Memetic invasion edition WRUP: Memetic invasion edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: What 'world of' game do you want to see next? Posted: 19 Nov 2011 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Historical, MMO industry, Opinion, War, The Daily Grind, Humor, World of Tanks, Miscellaneous, World of Warplanes, World of Battleships Wargaming.net is known to gamers for its popular World of Tanks MMO, in which players play... well, tanks. And thanks to WoT's success, the company has embarked on an ambitious plan to launch World of Warplanes and World of Battleships too. I think you know where I'm going with this. World of Dirigibles? World of Tractors? World of Hoverboards? World of Dunebuggies? World of Post-Apocalyptic Volkswagen Beetles With Chainguns Mounted On Their Hoods? Let's give the folks at Wargaming.net some helpful advice. What vehicle should they feature for their next "World of" game?  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 'world of' game do you want to see next? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Fallen Earth slinging a major update to factions Posted: 18 Nov 2011 07:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic If you've been making your way through the factions of the Fallen Earth wasteland for a while, you're probably familiar with their mechanical interplay by now. The game really rewards you, of course, for playing the field rather than picking one faction as your specific allies. But that's all going to change. As outlined in the latest developer blog, starting with the next major patch, players will be expected to choose one faction as their "core" faction to participate in Territory Control and Conflict Towns. This might seem like a bit of a downgrade, but it comes with the advantage that the developers are also doing away with shoulder factions, meaning that each factional pairing works as an unlinked two-way street. Fighting for one faction only loses standing for the opposing faction, not for other allied factions. Choosing a "main" faction is also not a requirement for several other faction features in the game, just the direct war between the various groups. Still, it's going to be a major update for the game's systems, forcing players to really decide who they want as an ally in the long run. Fallen Earth slinging a major update to factions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Final Fantasy XIV action revisions are up for preview Posted: 18 Nov 2011 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV Patch 1.20 is bringing major changes to the way that characters in Final Fantasy XIV equip and learn actions and traits. The announcement of the general changes was made some time ago, but it was made with no hard data on what players could expect. Now, however, players have been given a full list of what to expect from the revised actions, including the various ability combo chains and some of the abilities gained via the upcoming Job system. While the preview does not include the traits that each class will learn, it does give a clear picture of the breadth of abilities each class can acquire. Each tanking class gains a variety of new ways to increase enmity, and each of the classes will have several exclusive abilities that help it maintain a unique identity. Players looking forward to the revisions should run down the full list -- there's a great deal to digest for when the patch goes live. Final Fantasy XIV action revisions are up for preview originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Betawatch: November 12 - 18, 2011 Posted: 18 Nov 2011 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Massively Meta, Betawatch, Miscellaneous This week our eyes have been on one massive beta in particular: Star Wars: The Old Republic's. In fact, we've still got some keys left, so if you're not already a shoo-in for the final Thanksgiving testing round, grab one and apply it before November the 20th! Gamigo's Jagged Alliance officially heads into closed beta today, and Frogster's Eligium kicks off its closed beta tomorrow on December 19th. Get your beta on with the full Betawatch roundup past the break. Continue reading Betawatch: November 12 - 18, 2011 Betawatch: November 12 - 18, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Storyboard: The hook brings you back Posted: 18 Nov 2011 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous We're told, at a young age, not to judge a book by its cover. The problem with that statement is that when you're out buying a book, the cover is pretty much all you have to go by. Publishers understand that, and while a great book can overcome a lackluster cover, pretty much every book goes out of its way to try to attract your immediate attention. There are entire schools of thought on cover design for precisely that reason. The same goes for your characters in a roleplaying setting. You can develop a deep and engaging character with a lot of different potential stories, but without something to draw in other players, no one will ever know. You need something to get other players curious, something to get them invested and interested in what you want to do. You need a way to show them from the beginning that this isn't just another generic warrior or mage or whatever. You need a hook. Continue reading Storyboard: The hook brings you back Storyboard: The hook brings you back originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| EverQuest II videos show off Freeport revisions and dungeon crafting Posted: 18 Nov 2011 03:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, EverQuest II, Expansions, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Free-to-play Are you a fan of EverQuest II who wants to know more about what's on the horizon for the game but who doesn't want to take the time to read anything? Admittedly, your presence on this site makes a distaste of reading rather unlikely, but even so, you're in luck today. There are two new viewos covering future developments for the game, with both of them embedded just after the cut so you can watch them at your leisure. The first (and far shorter) video covers the upcoming revisions to Freeport, showing off all of the changes coming to one of the game's most iconic cities. The second video is longer but also far meatier, covering the new Dungeon Maker system coming out with the Age of Discovery expansion. So head on past the break, settle in with a nice beverage, and enjoy a whole lot of information without having to scan a bunch of text. Continue reading EverQuest II videos show off Freeport revisions and dungeon crafting EverQuest II videos show off Freeport revisions and dungeon crafting originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| End of Nations unveils warfare screenshots Posted: 18 Nov 2011 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, News items, Free-to-play, MMORTS The End of Nations is upon us! Well, not really, but Trion Worlds has revealed a new batch of screenshots focusing on -- what else -- mass warfare. The screens give players a glimpse of the maps of which they'll be vying for control. Also on display are many of the units available to the game's three factions, including tanks, artillery, scouting vehicles, and more. For all of the freshly pressed screenshots, just click on through the gallery below. [Source: Trion Worlds press release] End of Nations unveils warfare screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| New Eden Eternal trailer reveals the Ursan and Halfkin races Posted: 18 Nov 2011 02:30 PM PST |
| MMObility: More mobile news and new titles Posted: 18 Nov 2011 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Launches, New titles, Previews, News items, Opinion, Browser, Hands-on, MMOFPS, MMORTS, Miscellaneous, MMObility Another week, another batch of news for the mobile set. The mobile market, especially for tablets and smartphones, can be slow with the news. It's not that there isn't anything coming in; it just doesn't flow like a geyser like, say, browser-based MMOs do. When it does pop up, though, it tends to be some really good stuff. The mobile market is still so young, but it is growing up fast. The tech is becoming cheaper, faster and easier to come by. It's to the point that when I see a new piece of exciting mobile technology or read an announcement about a new game that pushes all of the mobile platform's boundaries, I can only think of the next wave. It's a sickness. This time I have some unusual up-and-comers and some that have not been released yet. Whatever you prefer, some of them will make your jaw drop. Click past the cut and let's get to it! Continue reading MMObility: More mobile news and new titles MMObility: More mobile news and new titles originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| New Champions Online Whiteout comic series content debuts Posted: 18 Nov 2011 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Champions Online Comic book geeks rejoice! Well, digital comic book geeks, that is. Champions Online has just announced the first issue of its second Comic Series content update. The new stuff is called Whiteout, and like the previous series (Aftershock), it spans multiple weekly issues that take the form of free content packs. The Champions website says that Comic Series are designed to take you on an "exciting adventure in which you'll encounter new creatures and environments, all the while playing through an intriguing story." The new Whiteout series is accessible to players at level 11 or higher, and on top of the new narrative you'll get special issue rewards and item drops as you progress. New Champions Online Whiteout comic series content debuts originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Massively Exclusive: Elsword reveals new Eve playable character Posted: 18 Nov 2011 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play Elsword's ancient Nasod queen has awakened, and boy is she pissed. Eve is the side-scrolling manga title's newest playable character, and Massively's got your exclusive first-look video that shows her in action. According to the clip, Eve is bent on avenging her kingdom's destruction and restoring its former glory. To do so, she relies on player-controlled robotic guardian troops and a couple of seductively titled job classes. Though we don't rightly know what exactly Code Exotic: Mistress of Destruction or Code Architecture: Master of Guardian Nasods means, they sure do sound cool. We do know that Eve is coming out on November 23rd, so you've got just under a week to go until you're able to unleash her particular brand of melee whoop-ass on Elsword's various mobs. Don't forget to watch the vid after the break. [Source: Kill3rCombo press release] Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Elsword reveals new Eve playable character Massively Exclusive: Elsword reveals new Eve playable character originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Post-apocalyptic L.A.W takes us from sketches to art to screen Posted: 18 Nov 2011 12:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Post-Apocalyptic Good-looking graphics don't just magically appear overnight in MMOs, delivered by the FedEx equivalent of the leprechaun community. The look and design of a game is a lengthy process full of revisions, abandoned doodles, and brainstorming -- something we end-users tend not to appreciate. Consider today your education, then, as the team behind the post-apocalyptic L.A.W -- Living After War released a whole crate of images with the intent of showing us how the iterative process works. In the gallery below you can check out different versions of the same buildings, vehicles, and mobs at various stages of their making. From sketches to concept art to in-game models, these screens are a great crash course in understanding how involved the development team has to get to make these games a reality. [Source: ProSiebenSat.1 press release] Post-apocalyptic L.A.W takes us from sketches to art to screen originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Firing Line: All the shooter news that's fit to print Posted: 18 Nov 2011 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, Patches, PvP, News items, Opinion, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, DUST 514, PlanetSide 2 Welcome back to The Firing Line, folks. I'm still putting out a few flames from last week's how-dare-you-call-this-an-MMO smackdown, and rather than fuel that particular fire by telling you that I've been playing a lot of World of Tanks (oh, did I say that?), I figured I'd take a high-level look at what's been happening with a few of the larger MMO shooters (and quasi-MMO shooters) over the last couple of weeks. Despite my best efforts, we're still stuck with lore updates and insignificant PR when it comes to PlanetSide 2, though we did snag a few new screenshots recently. Things have also been quiet when it comes to Global Agenda and a few of my other favorite titles. Not to worry, though. Hi-Rez is moving right along with its Tribes: Ascend beta, and you can read about that and more in my news roundup after the break. Continue reading The Firing Line: All the shooter news that's fit to print The Firing Line: All the shooter news that's fit to print originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SWTOR lifts NDA and reveals Legacy system, new flashpoint, art book Posted: 18 Nov 2011 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, MMO industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dungeons Do you hear that? That's the sound of a million voices who were silenced suddenly freed to share their experiences with Star Wars: The Old Republic. That's because BioWare has officially lifted the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) allowing testers to talk about the game. BioWare VP Greg Zeschuk posted the announcement just minutes ago on the forums: As of now, the non-disclosure portion of our Game Testing Agreement is officially lifted. While all players must still accept the Game Testing Agreement, from this point on testers may now freely talk about their experiences this past weekend in the game, as well as post screenshots and gameplay videos of their testing experiences. We encourage you to come join us on the official Star Wars[TM]: The Old Republic[TM] Forums to share your experiences!
The Star Wars: The Old Republic community site will have a copy of this message on the forums and it will also appear in the Patcher. Players may not talk about nor reprint posts from our testing forums as they are still fully covered by the confidentiality portions of our Game Testing Agreement. And all players who want to participate in the upcoming Beta Test Weekends still have to accept all terms of the Game Testing Agreement. So, other than that, free feel to talk about and share your experiences in Star Wars: The Old Republic. If all that wasn't exciting enough, the dev team also released articles covering the flashpoint Bringing Down the Hammer, the book, The Art and Making of The Old Republic, and the Legacy system, which allows for a family last name shared across characters. SWTOR lifts NDA and reveals Legacy system, new flashpoint, art book originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SWTOR's Outlaw's Den is a hive of scum, villainy, and all-out PvP Posted: 18 Nov 2011 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Previews, PvP, Star Wars: The Old Republic There's open-world PvP, and then there's open-world PvP that puts hair on your chest and then rips it out with a vengeance. Tatooine has the latter. At the recent fan site summit in Austin, TX, Star Wars: The Old Republic's Lead PvP Designer Gabe Amatangelo revealed nirvana for PvPers with Outlaw's Den. Outlaw's Den is a PvP free-for-all (FFA) area on Tatooine for players crazy enough to risk certain death to congregate, fight, and struggle for rewards. Because there are no rules in the area, members from the same faction can harm -- and kill -- each other, and there are no restrictions on what goes on in that space. Apart from the excitement of "anything goes" PvP combat, Outlaw's Den sports several attractive elements that make it worth visiting, including top-tier crafting materials, vendors that sell rare mounts and social gear, an auction kiosk, and a pit reserved for to-the-death duels. One of the most interesting aspects of Outlaw's Den is that even NPCs are susceptible to being killed, opening up the possibility for individuals and guilds to kill vendors in order to keep them out of others' hands. However, nobody can capture the zone, so the fighting will extend indefinitely. SWTOR's Outlaw's Den is a hive of scum, villainy, and all-out PvP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Vanguard content update to feature new dungeon, golden path, and more Posted: 18 Nov 2011 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Vanguard, Dungeons Holy smokes, it's a Vanguard content update! No, really. Sony Online Entertainment has just delighted fans of its long-neglected fantasy themepark with a post on the official boards that outlines some nifty changes coming in the near future. In addition to a new thirteen-boss dungeon called the City of Brass, the devs are also cranking out overland raid bosses, removing the game's corpse recovery mechanics, and easing the leveling experience. There's also a blurb about increased drop rates and a "golden path" via the game's riftways that will guide players to the ideal adventuring areas for their level. There's no date on all the goodies as of yet, but the post says that SOE is "getting close" to migrating the patch to Vanguard's test server. Head to the official forums to see for yourself. Vanguard content update to feature new dungeon, golden path, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| CrimeCraft expansion to feature persistent territory control, quickplay options Posted: 18 Nov 2011 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Real life, Trailers, Video, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Crime, MMOFPS, CrimeCraft, Miscellaneous Remember CrimeCraft? We do, and the tragically titled actioner is still alive and kicking (or shooting, perhaps). We bring this up because Vogster is readying its second major expansion, GangWars, which is scheduled to launch on December 5th. The update adds more of a traditional MMO feel to what is otherwise a lobby-based game. New territory wars mechanics are the culprit, and they allow gangs to own and control sections of the game's persistent Sunrise City environment. Curiously, Vogster is also implementing a new quickplay system which offers access to CrimeCraft's "core gameplay features through a simplified interface that lets you shortcut RPG gameplay and get right to the action." CrimeCraft boasts 20 unique maps and 11 gameplay modes. Learn more about the game, and sign up for free, at the official website. Before you go, though, check out the territory wars trailer after the break. [Source: Vogster press release] Continue reading CrimeCraft expansion to feature persistent territory control, quickplay options CrimeCraft expansion to feature persistent territory control, quickplay options originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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So far what is the biggest threat to the iPad's largely unchallenged supremacy in the tablet market? The answer has certainly got to be Amazon's Kindle Fire, which sports a very enticing $200 price tag. Even though the Kindle Fire is probably the only non-iPad tablet to have generated iPad-like buzz, it's not the only affordable tablet on the market. The ranks of sub-$300 tablets are constantly swelling. And if NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang is right, soon there will be a number of Tegra 3 tablets in this price range.
Launched over two years back, Microsoft Security Essentials has established itself as one of the best free security apps out there. In this time, two versions of the free anti-virus have been released to mostly positive reviews. Our own reviews of MSE are a point in case. Now Microsoft is laying the groundwork for the release of the tool's next version.
Grooveshark is no stranger to lawsuits having been sued countless times. But the latest lawsuit, even though it's from a familiar foe, seems to be a bit different. 
