MMO Updates |
- Hyperspace Beacon: The crew skills story
- Flameseeker Chronicles: Life in the legions
- Turbine releases new DDO expansion screens, shows off Eveningstar cavern
- Webzen pops the cork on its third anniversary celebration
- The Daily Grind: What game would you play were it not for the community?
- EVE Online 'cyber-bully' issues formal apology for crossing the line
- Not So Massively: MOBAs, shooters, and dungeon crawlers
- Wings Over Atreia: Producing info
- Captain's Log: Interview with Cryptic's Al Rivera, part one
- Newest letter from Naoki Yoshida outlines the plans for Final Fantasy XIV's next patch
- Mythos Global wants you to play your way
- New EverQuest II video shows off the city of Skyshrine
- New DUST 514 screenshots dropping from orbit
- Leaderboard: Spider vs. pig
- Guild Wars 2 beta questions: Answered!
- SOE renames Fan Faire, sets official dates
- Guild Wars 2: For glory!
- Phantasy Star Online to be F2P, Android and iOS versions announced
- CCP investigates player panel that encouraged cyber-bullying [UPDATED]
- A look at Guild Wars 2's world vs. world PvP
| Hyperspace Beacon: The crew skills story Posted: 27 Mar 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, Patches, Previews, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon, Crafting  We know that the major part of this update is the Legacy system. In a system that is rarely seen across MMOs, BioWare has created a tangible connection between alts. Now, Aaron Shaddoe can be the brother of Maacus Shaddoe and the son of Ryctur Shaddoe, and the game will reward me for doing that. Aaron could be a Smuggler, Maacus a Jedi Consular, and Ryctur a Bounty Hunter, all with interconnecting abilities between them. It's an interesting concept, but I'm curious how many people are going to seriously use it for its intended purpose. Update 1.2 holds a couple of other changes that interest me more -- namely, crew skills and story content. Lead Combat Designer Georg Zoeller and Writer Charles Boyd spoke about the changes to crew skills and the story update in two developer blogs last week. And despite the legacy system's being the biggest part of this update, it's these two areas that will impact the greater game. [Warning: Some minor spoilers are contained within. It's been three months, so I hope they are not spoilers any more, but I should warn you just in case.] Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: The crew skills story
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| Flameseeker Chronicles: Life in the legions Posted: 27 Mar 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, PvE, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Races, Flameseeker Chronicles  To someone who has rolled a seemingly endless string of alts in virtually every game I've played and is extraordinarily trigger-happy when it comes to remaking characters, this shows a great deal of promise. I'm sure it's quite an angstilicious idea for people who want to savor ALL THE STORY, but I hope that such types might admit (however grudgingly) that too much story is a better option than too little. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Life in the legions
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| Turbine releases new DDO expansion screens, shows off Eveningstar cavern Posted: 27 Mar 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Expansions, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play  The MotU expansion is due on June 25th, and in it, adventurers will explore the "vast subterranean world of the underdark," as well as play around with a new Druid class and an increased level cap. [Source: Turbine press release]
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| Webzen pops the cork on its third anniversary celebration Posted: 27 Mar 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Anniversary  To celebrate its third anniversary, Webzen is throwing events in Archlord, MU Online, and Soul of the Ultimate Nation. By participating in these in-game events, players can win an assortment of prizes ranging from an Xbox 360 to in-game currency and items. The third anniversary events will start tomorrow and go through April 18th. Webzen's Head of Global Publishing Jihun Lee reflected on the company's achievements: "With the start of MU Online, Webzen.com has received much support from our users. As a result, in three years we have been able to become one of the leading global game portals. With the service experience of free-to-play online games, we are making all efforts to meet the users' needs and provide better services." [Source: Webzen press release]
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| The Daily Grind: What game would you play were it not for the community? Posted: 27 Mar 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Sandbox  While CCP's sci-fi sandbox does have a reputation for scams, scandals, and schadendfreude, it's also got its share of helpful players and corporations (the EVE equivalent of a guild), and I'm always disappointed to hear of potential players scared off by the big meanies who consistently make EVE headlines. That leads into today's Daily Grind question. Is there an MMO out there that you'd play if it weren't for the community? Which one, and why is the community so bad?  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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| EVE Online 'cyber-bully' issues formal apology for crossing the line Posted: 27 Mar 2012 12:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Events, real-world, Guilds, News items, Legal, Sandbox  Yesterday we reported that Goonswarm's leader and elected CSM chairman Alexander "The Mittani" Gianturco mistakenly crossed that all-important line during a drunken presentation at Fanfest 2012. In his talk, he gave out the name of a player who had expressed suicidal thoughts and told viewers to "find him" if they wanted to make him kill himself. Today Alex landed following his flight home from Fanfest and reportedly was ashamed to read the transcript of what he said during his panel. He issued a full and sincere apology via the forum, describing himself as "utterly ashamed and sickened by [his] behavior." "This has been hanging over my head since Thursday when I stumbled away from the Alliance Panel with a vague sense that I had done something horrible," Alex began. "Then I landed, and saw the article listing my actual quote." "It's one thing to play a villain in an online roleplaying game," he told players, "but I am not that character in real life, as anyone who has met me can attest. I went way, way, /way/ past the line on Thursday night." CCP's investigation is still underway, and we'll bring you the results of that investigation as soon as we get them.
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| Not So Massively: MOBAs, shooters, and dungeon crawlers Posted: 26 Mar 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Video, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, New titles, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends  In the world of MOBAs, League of Legends released its new champion Lulu this week and published her official champion spotlight video. Dota 2 added classic hero Lycan and introduced a new private rating system to help players track which heroes they're good at playing. Finally, Wrath of Heroes has entered open beta and is already selling items in its cash shop. Continue reading Not So Massively: MOBAs, shooters, and dungeon crawlers
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| Wings Over Atreia: Producing info Posted: 26 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Business models, Interviews, MMO industry, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-play, Humor  Here we are closing in on the biggest change in Aion's history, but players still have very little idea of what to expect. How will the change affect them? What will be different? heck, what items are going to be in the cash shop? Inquiring players want to know! And so far, NCsoft is not being very forthcoming; the offered "information" is all fluff with little to no substance. And Daeva cannot live by fluff alone! (Unless it's marshmallow, but that's another story.) Case in point: this week's producer interview. Juicy reveal or disappointing tease? Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Producing info
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| Captain's Log: Interview with Cryptic's Al Rivera, part one Posted: 26 Mar 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, Interviews, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Massively Interviews, Captain's Log  This week, I will begin my coverage of a lengthy interview with Al Rivera (@CaptainGeko), the lead designer for STO. If I had any doubts about the team's love or understanding of our beloved franchise, those doubts were dispelled the moment I walked into the STO work area. Continue reading Captain's Log: Interview with Cryptic's Al Rivera, part one
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| Newest letter from Naoki Yoshida outlines the plans for Final Fantasy XIV's next patch Posted: 26 Mar 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV  This penultimate patch before version 2.0 will also see the conflict between Eorzea and the Empire escalate further, illustrated by the presence of a new Imperial stronghold for players to assault. There will be new Imperial weapons as a result, along with new quests and new Grand Company ranks. Currently slated for the end of April, this patch can be expected to deliver a number of improvements to the game, even if it may wind up being delayed a bit in the end.
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| Mythos Global wants you to play your way Posted: 26 Mar 2012 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play  Mythos Global has been on one crazy rollercoaster ride throughout its lifespan, and the latest incarnation of the free-to-play Diablo-esque dungeon-crawler has been in open beta for a little over a month now. But T3Fun wants players to know that there's more to Mythos than just dungeon-delving, and the studio has released a trio of new videos to prove it. Whether you're a loot fiend, an achievement chaser, or a master crafter, Mythos has something for you. As with most Diablo-alikes, Mythos features a plethora of randomized loot for players to hoard like there's no tomorrow, while the artisans among us can become masters of their trades with the help of the game's unique crafting skill tree system. And of course, achievements and titles abound for those who just love showing off their heroic accomplishments. If any of these playstyles tickles your fancy, just head on over to the game's official site to get in on the action for yourself. [Source: T3Fun press release] Continue reading Mythos Global wants you to play your way
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| New EverQuest II video shows off the city of Skyshrine Posted: 26 Mar 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest II, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play  The update continues the game's Destiny of Velious storyline, and prospective players can get a sneak peek at "the glorious ancient dragon city" in the clip we've got for you after the cut. Ehrlich shows off several of the zone's huge districts, and it's a good thing his avatar is moving at the dev equivalent of ludicrous speed because the new area is enormous. EQII's Game Update 63, featuring the city of Skyshrine, will be yours for the adventuring on April 17th. [Source: SOE press release] Continue reading New EverQuest II video shows off the city of Skyshrine
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| New DUST 514 screenshots dropping from orbit Posted: 26 Mar 2012 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Screenshots, Dungeons and Dragons Online, News items, MMOFPS  The 2012 edition of EVE Online Fanfest has come and gone, and it went off (mostly) without a hitch, but that doesn't mean that the DUST 514 hypestorm is done -- not by a long shot. Eurogamer has some brand-spankin'-new screenshots of the upcoming PlayStation 3 FPS hot off the press from Fanfest. The shots cover everything from vehicle renders, combat, and of course, a disturbingly large number of explosions. The full gallery of new screenies is available over at Eurogamer, so just meander on over that way to take a look for yourselves.
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| Posted: 26 Mar 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Polls, Culture, Opinion, Humor, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard  Pigs and spiders, spiders and pigs: MMO devs do love both equally. They're convenient fodder for heroes to use as training on their way up to slaying dragons, as nobody likes spiders and everyone likes ham and bacon. And while they almost never stand a chance against the never-ending player onslaught, what would happen if spider fought pig in-game? Who would emerge triumphant and who would slink back to its trough/web in shame? Take some time to weigh the pros and cons of each contestant, and let us know which you think would win in a one-on-one scuffle! (And for those of you out there itching to make a spider-pig reference in the comments, I'm preempting you. Booyah.) Continue reading Leaderboard: Spider vs. pig
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| Guild Wars 2 beta questions: Answered! Posted: 26 Mar 2012 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, Lore, Previews, Guild Wars 2, Hands-on, Massively Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage, Community Q&A  Last week we asked for your Guild Wars 2 questions as we prepared to head into the beta weekend, and boy did you rise to the occasion! After sorting through all the questions, we made a list of the most interesting and frequently repeated ones to investigate. Have a question you don't see answered here? Tonight I'll be doing a live question-and-answer session on Massively's own livestream! Tune in at 7:00 p.m. EDT and ask away! Continue reading Guild Wars 2 beta questions: Answered!
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| SOE renames Fan Faire, sets official dates Posted: 26 Mar 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous  Senior marketing VP Laura Naviaux says the change is due to SOE's MMO diversification. While the company is still known for its EverQuest and EverQuest II flagships, it's also put considerable time and effort into DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2, neither of which conjures images of ye olde renaissance faire. This year's SOE Live will happen at Bally's in Las Vegas from October 18th through the 21st. Naviaux says that SOE die-hards can relax, since the event will be the same Fan Faire they've been enjoying for years despite the name change. "Previous event attendees can rest assured that we are not removing any of our established activities in order to accommodate the new players; rather, they can expect even more to make this the ultimate SOE fan experience," she said. [Source: SOE press release]
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| Posted: 26 Mar 2012 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Previews, PvP, News items, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Hands-on, Dungeons  A lot of my weekend was devoted to glory, both the in-game resource that you earn for competing in PvP and that distinction that you wallow in after doing something cool. The game allows for a lot of something-cools to be done, but the ones I'm presently interested in are hot-joinable PvP and the beta's one accessible dungeon. Continue reading Guild Wars 2: For glory!
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| Phantasy Star Online to be F2P, Android and iOS versions announced Posted: 26 Mar 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, News items, Free-to-play  We know that the Guild Wars 2 beta coverage is all the rage today, but it's certainly not the only sequel worthy of attention. SEGA has announced that its upcoming Phantasy Star Online 2 will utilize a free-to-play business model, which of course means that the title will feature an item shop with microtransactions. The studio has also revealed that, in addition to partaking of the already-announced PC and PS Vita versions of the game, Android and iOS smartphone owners will be able to get in on the fun as well. While it's not entirely clear how these new versions of the game will work, we do know that they will not allow cross-platform play as the PC and Vita editions will, though they will "share data with the [PC and Vita] versions," reports Andriasang.com. The smartphone versions of the game are planned for release in winter 2012, after the summer release of the PC version but before the spring 2012 launch of the Vita edition.
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| CCP investigates player panel that encouraged cyber-bullying [UPDATED] Posted: 26 Mar 2012 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Events, real-world, News items, Legal, Sandbox  EVE Online's annual Fanfest is an opportunity for players from across the world to share stories of the year's big events, political actions, and epic battles won and lost. Each year, player speakers from the game's biggest and most influential alliances are invited to take part in the Alliance Panel at Fanfest, where they can talk about their organisation and what it's done over the preceding year. Massively got a hold of a copy of this year's Alliance Panel, and unfortunately it was marked by something more distressing than the usual political ego-buffing and mass consumption of alcohol. GoonSwarm alliance speaker and second-time CSM chairman Alexander "The Mittani" Gianturco gave a talk on some of the year's most memorable alliance activities, from shutting down Ice Mining operations across several regions to scamming people with fake supercapital ship trades. As part of the talk, Alex aired a private correspondence in which a victim revealed that he'd been severely depressed following a divorce and expressed suicidal thoughts. "We're sure that he's not dead," Alex flippantly remarked during the talk before adding that "he might have committed suicide." Read on for the full details of what Alex said to encourage the event's thousands of viewers to engage in cyber-bullying, as well as the response from CCP. [UPDATE: Alex has issued a full and sincere public apology for his behaviour during the Alliance Panel, and has vowed to make all restitution necessary] Continue reading CCP investigates player panel that encouraged cyber-bullying [UPDATED]
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| A look at Guild Wars 2's world vs. world PvP Posted: 26 Mar 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Previews, PvP, Guild Wars 2, Hands-on  The second Guild Wars 2 press beta weekend has come and gone, and Massively was there every step of the way. Stay tuned throughout the day today for even more guides, impressions, videos, and Q&As to get you ready for the highly anticipated sequel to Guild Wars. The most recent Guild Wars 2 beta weekend has wound to a close (much to my dismay), but thankfully my time in Tyria has not been wasted. Oh, heavens no. I spent the majority of the weekend running around the war-torn borderlands and getting the everloving daylights stomped out of me in the game's world vs. world combat. When I wasn't busy acquainting my face with the ground, however, I had plenty of time to meander about the battlefield of The Mists, storming keeps, cutting off supply caravans, and defending encampments, and now I finally get to share my impressions with all of you fine readers. So what did I think about GW2's WvW system (my total lack of PvP ability aside)? Rev up your siege engines and gird your proverbial loins, then follow past the cut to find out! Continue reading A look at Guild Wars 2's world vs. world PvP
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