MMO Updates |
- Final Fantasy XIV teasing players with a rideable goobbue
- Fallen Earth's 2.3 patch live today, new world bosses incoming
- Aion changing vet reward system
- Cryptic and Perfect World release STO F2P trailer
- PlanetSide 2's Sunderer carries troops, pushes tanks
- Eden Eternal adds Samurai class, PvP arenas, and dungeons
- The Daily Grind: What's the longest an MMO's been out before you've tried it?
- Massively Exclusive: NEOWIZ GAMES gets bloody with Seven Souls Online debut trailer [Updated]
- The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2
- Syfy announces star of the Defiance TV series
- Analyst believes Star Wars: The Old Republic had a $500 million price tag
- Massively Speaking Episode 182: Pigeons with hacksaws
- World of Warcraft's patch 4.3 to be last major update until Mists of Pandaria
- Teasing an interview with Guild Wars 2 on PvP
- City of Heroes performs 'Death of a Statesman'
- The Soapbox: On MMO negativity
- Hyperspace Beacon: Star Wars zombies
- Marvel Heroes to use Unreal 3 engine
| Final Fantasy XIV teasing players with a rideable goobbue Posted: 18 Jan 2012 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV  Yes, apparently, the lumbering beasts that terrorize players in both Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV will be added to the stable of mounts alongside chocobos. The preview video itself (embedded just after the break) states that they'll only be available for a limited time before version 2.0, with the lore article claiming that the very idea seems absurd even in the game world... but there it is. Hopefully players can learn how to obtain the mount soon, with the added caveat that we'll probably have to believe it's a real thing at that point. Continue reading Final Fantasy XIV teasing players with a rideable goobbue
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| Fallen Earth's 2.3 patch live today, new world bosses incoming Posted: 18 Jan 2012 08:30 AM PST Filed under: Fallen Earth, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic, Sandbox  The latest update for the post-apocalyptic sandpark MMO features new PvE content for levels 30 through 35, rare and prized treasure boxes, and several world-boss events. There are also a number of bug fixes, mission tweaks, and art updates. The full patch notes are viewable at the official Fallen Earth website.
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| Aion changing vet reward system Posted: 18 Jan 2012 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items  Aion's veteran reward system is due for an extreme makeover, and we here at Massively would love to bring you the details. There's just one problem: NCsoft hasn't released any. A cryptic news blurb on the game's official website hints at the changes, and it also touches on the reasoning behind them (apparently the upcoming 3.0 patch is going to make some veteran items obsolete). Aion players may collect their 28-month vet rewards beginning on January 25th, and claims can also be made in the month of February. After that, though, you may not get another chance since the "current veteran reward system will be discontinued." We'll update you on the situation as we learn more.
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| Cryptic and Perfect World release STO F2P trailer Posted: 18 Jan 2012 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play  In case you missed it, Cryptic's Star Trek Online has gone F2P, and a new launch trailer does a good job of summing up the title for the uninitiated. The clip is two minutes worth of highlights that include ground and space combat gameplay as well as plenty of beautiful vistas, starched Starfleet uniforms, and of course, the menacing Borg. Head past the break for the new trailer, and don't forget to check out Massively's archived livestream feed from yesterday's free-to-play launch day festivities. Continue reading Cryptic and Perfect World release STO F2P trailer
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| PlanetSide 2's Sunderer carries troops, pushes tanks Posted: 18 Jan 2012 06:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2  SOE says the beastly ride can withstand a focused barrage of enemy fire due to its heavy armor, and the Sunderer also features enough mass and horsepower to push other vehicles (including tanks) out of its way. Its cargo hold can carry up to 12 soldiers as well as medical supplies and ammo. PlanetSide 2 is a large-scale persistent world shooter based in a sci-fi setting, and SOE is currently accepting closed beta applications.
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| Eden Eternal adds Samurai class, PvP arenas, and dungeons Posted: 18 Jan 2012 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons  The Samurai is a DPS class that uses a katana to slice and dice his foes at close range. The class also features a number of buff abilities as well as a heavy-hitting Asura slash airborne attack. In addition to the territory wars tweaks and monster arena, Aeria is also adding two new dungeons to Eden Eternal. The instances are designed for level 60 heroes and each features new bosses and gear. More info is available at the game's official website. [Source: Aeria Games press release]
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| The Daily Grind: What's the longest an MMO's been out before you've tried it? Posted: 18 Jan 2012 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  So I can't be the only one who checked out Ultima Online for the first time 11 years after its initial release, or Dark Age of Camelot around its eight year anniversary. Sometimes I'm a little hesitant to try older MMOs because I fear that they're a little too long in the tooth or that their future shelf life is almost at the "expired" date, but once I get past that, more often than not I end up saying, "I can't believe I waited this long to try it!" What about you? What's the longest an MMO has been out before you tried it for the first time? And for a bonus question, what got you to finally give it a go?  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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| Massively Exclusive: NEOWIZ GAMES gets bloody with Seven Souls Online debut trailer [Updated] Posted: 17 Jan 2012 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, New titles, News items, Free-to-play  "Let the bloodshed begin," announces the debut trailer of NEOWIZ GAMES' upcoming free-to-play martial arts title, Seven Souls Online, and wow, it is not kidding around. The announcement trailer is essentially a montage of a number of player-characters running around and beating the crap out of everything until it explodes into a fine, crimson mist. And you know what? We're totally OK with that. Sure, we don't actually know much of anything about the gameplay or the story or... well, anything else, but when I can hit something so hard that I knock it straight out of existence, none of that really matters anymore. For the full trailer, click on past the cut, and be sure to stay tuned tomorrow for more information from Seven Souls Online. [Source: NEOWIZ GAMES] [Update: We've added the official press release behind the break too! It includes a mention of the game's closed beta test, which you can now apply for.]
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| The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2 Posted: 17 Jan 2012 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Virtual worlds, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous  That day has come. Prepare your bladder for imminent release! Giving a bunch of players tools to do every which thing in the game and turning them loose without strict regulation might seem like a recipe for an instant sewage pit of a game today, but our cultured, classy behaviors weren't quite trained into us in 1986. When players first set eyes on Habitat, they weren't thinking of min-maxing, kill-stealing, or raid progression; they were trying to make sense of a virtual world using the only frame of reference they had to date: their own lives. Out of a melting pot of ideas and objects came fascinating stories from one of the earliest MMO proto-ancestors of the modern era. Get your '80s on as we head back... to the future! Continue reading The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2
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| Syfy announces star of the Defiance TV series Posted: 17 Jan 2012 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Consoles, MMOFPS  By now, we're sure you're all familiar with Trion Worlds and Syfy's collaborative effort, Defiance, which aims to be the first MMO to directly interact with a running television series. Well, every TV show needs a star, and Defiance is no exception. In a press release today, Syfy announced that New Zealander Grant Bowler has agreed to play Defiance's starring role. North American audiences would best know Bowler from his role as Connor Owens on Ugly Betty or as -- we wish we could make this stuff up -- Cooter, "the leader of the werewolf biker gang in the HBO series True Blood." In Defiance, Bowler will play the role of Jeb Nolan, "the law keeper in a bustling frontier boomtown that is one of the new world's few oases of civility and inclusion." Having lost both his wife and his child in the conflict with the aliens, Nolan became a lone wanderer, which eventually brought him to the town where he works to keep the peace. Hopefully this new addition to the cast indicates that the TV series -- and by extension, the MMO -- is beginning to gear up for production. [Source: Syfy press release]
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| Analyst believes Star Wars: The Old Republic had a $500 million price tag Posted: 17 Jan 2012 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic  This is in stark contrast to the estimate from analyst Michael Pachter, who targeted the price tag at roughly $80 million when all was said and done. Unfortunately, the precise cost won't be known unless EA decides to release the game's official budget and how much was spent on development, which seems unlikely. What is certain is that the performance of Star Wars: The Old Republic is going to be under close scrutiny over the coming months among both fans of the game and fans of financial speculation. [Thanks to Ben for the tip!]
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| Massively Speaking Episode 182: Pigeons with hacksaws Posted: 17 Jan 2012 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Podcasts, News items, Opinion, Humor, Massively Speaking  Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes. [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 182: Pigeons with hacksaws
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| World of Warcraft's patch 4.3 to be last major update until Mists of Pandaria Posted: 17 Jan 2012 02:45 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Interviews, Patches, News items  World of Warcraft's lead quest designer, Dave Kosak, let slip in an interview today that the recently released patch 4.3 will be the final major content update to hit Azeroth until Mists of Pandaria goes live. This is obviously a notable discovery, since it either means that Mists of Pandaria will be coming out soon, or WoW players are gonna be waiting a long time for the next patch. When asked if he believes that there's enough content in patch 4.3 to keep users sated until MoP comes out, Kosak replied that "between the three excellent dungeons [the game has], the new raid, and Raid Finder that should give people something to sink their teeth into for a few months." For the full interview, including a look back at the good and bad of WoW's patch 4.3, click on through the link below.
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| Teasing an interview with Guild Wars 2 on PvP Posted: 17 Jan 2012 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, PvP, News items, Guild Wars 2  That having been said, the team did unveil a small audio clip of the interview to serve as a teaser trailer. While the bulk of the discussion focuses on trebuchets -- a known feature that is apparently coming along quite well -- there's a fascinating mention of a new addition, siegesuits, at the very conclusion. While there are no further details yet, it seems that this is a feature that will be discussed in more depth in the full interview, which apparently contains more items that may not yet be ready for public consumption.
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| City of Heroes performs 'Death of a Statesman' Posted: 17 Jan 2012 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, Video, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Events, in-game, Lore, News items, Free-to-play  There's more to do than just go play through the arc, however. A new issue of the Intrepid Informer is available in which Matt Miller discusses why the team decided that now is the right time to kill off the game's biggest hero. And if you need a little more help catching up with the story so far, the final vidoc on the arc is embedded just past the cut, giving players a recap of what the Freedom Phalanx is, what is represents, and what this death means for Paragon City. Continue reading City of Heroes performs 'Death of a Statesman'
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| The Soapbox: On MMO negativity Posted: 17 Jan 2012 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous, Sandbox  Last week I was given a link to an op-ed piece at Thade's place, and in lieu of posting a comment there, I figured I'd do it on the Soapbox and hopefully generate some discussion (and traffic) for all concerned. In a nutshell, Thade questions whether MMO pundits actually like MMOs, and he comments on a perceived rise in negativity amongst what are assumed to be fans of the genre. I don't know if the blogosphere has taken a turn toward the negative, but if so, there's a pretty simple explanation for it. The games have changed, and the old guard who grew up with MMOs (and are willing/able to devote time to blogging about them) have to try a little bit harder to enjoy themselves as each new title gets further and further from what they like. That's OK, though, and it's also OK -- and even essential -- for the disaffected to speak up. Continue reading The Soapbox: On MMO negativity
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| Hyperspace Beacon: Star Wars zombies Posted: 17 Jan 2012 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, New titles, Patches, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon  That said, it's not going to hurt to learn about this new update, although I suggest that, if you're into the story as much as I am, you don't read the patch notes... spoilers! Dang, BioWare, could you be a bit more ambiguous about the PTS patch notes next time? It's like someone leaning over halfway through the first screening Empire Strikes Back and saying, "Oh, by the way, Darth Vader is Luke's father." NOOOOO! It's impossible! Being someone who is interested in the story revolving around SWTOR, I do love the continued use of Rakghouls in the newest update. Sure, some would call it an easy storytelling trope (zombies and all that). I'll admit it. I'm not going to hide behind "these are ghouls, not zombies." I love the story, but in truth these are Star Wars zombies. But I do find the history of the Rakghouls interesting. Honestly, I don't know how much of the story has been retcon'd after their first appearance in BioWare's first venture into the Star Wars IP, Knights of the Old Republic, but the roots of the Rakghouls stem from the birth of the Sith Empire. I love the way it all comes together. [Update: BioWare postponed the patch to the 18th after the column was written. The first paragraph has been changed to reflect that.] Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Star Wars zombies
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| Marvel Heroes to use Unreal 3 engine Posted: 17 Jan 2012 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Super-hero, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Marvel Heroes  The game, informally known as Marvel Universe Online, allows players to step into the shoes of Captain America, Iron Man, and Spider-man (among others). Gazillion says the third-party toolset will enable its developers to focus on delivering a high-quality game experience. "We [...] love the flexibility we get from the actor components, which have empowered us to make all kinds of customizations without sacrificing the built-in features of the engine," says Jeff Lind, head of Gazillion's Secret Identity Studios. Gazillion hasn't mentioned a timeframe for the game's release (heck, there's no official website yet, either), but we'll keep you informed as we hear more. [Source: Gazillion press release]
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