MMO Updates |
- SOE releases PlanetSide 2 alpha gameplay video
- Auto Club Revolution open beta starts today
- UFO Online abducts cows, starts second beta phase
- Turbine outlines 2012 festivals, mentions new Farmer's Faire event
- Massively Exclusive: Star Trek Online announces EU relaunch, double XP weekend
- The Daily Grind: Would you pay extra for a filtered community?
- A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superheroish
- Free for All: From realistic dragons to a dragon icon
- The Mittani gets hit with ban and resigns in wake of EVE Online controversy
- Cash rules everything around Pathfinder Online
- Newest WildStar Wednesday talks about creatures like a boss
- Hunker down and blow up: Meet PlanetSide 2's Engineer
- SOE showers Vanguard loyalists with gifts
- Jumping out an airlock is a legitimate mode of travel in Line of Defense
- Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week three
- Grand Chase: Heroes updates with new player housing
- Forsaken World Nightfall expansion is officially live
- EVE Fanfest videos viewable on YouTube
| SOE releases PlanetSide 2 alpha gameplay video Posted: 29 Mar 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2, Sandbox  Still, three minutes of gameplay is nothing to sneeze at, and we get a decent look at ground combat, air combat, and various forms of vehicular combat (as well as all the requisite UIs). The clip is narrated by PlanetSide 2 creative director Matt Higby, and he provides a layman's introduction to the massive world of Auraxis as well as all the customizable gameplay that Sony Online Entertainment is building into its MMOFPS sequel. Don't take our word for it, though. Check out the full video after the break. Continue reading SOE releases PlanetSide 2 alpha gameplay video
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| Auto Club Revolution open beta starts today Posted: 29 Mar 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Real life, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play  ACR is free-to-play, and players can unlock new vehicles at no cost via the game's progression mechanics. There's a dual currency system in place which mixes earned credits with E-Bucks, and both may be used to purchase upgrades, tracks, and customization options. The game also features single-player challenges and a variety of racing modes. If that sounds like something you'd like to check out for free, head to the official site to join the open beta. [Source: Eutechnyx press release]
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| UFO Online abducts cows, starts second beta phase Posted: 29 Mar 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Free-to-play, Humor  The publisher announced that UFO Online is beginning its second beta phase following a period of reflection and development after the first. The game's studio, Funatics, has expanded the game to include two new aliens, a better loot system, more complex missions, and more strategic combat. Phase two of the aliens' diabolical plan, er, the studio's approach will also see a better tutorial, performance optimization, and UI improvements that all should make a significant difference for those testing the game. If smacking down grey-skinned invaders appeals to you, you can apply for the beta on the website and read up on our first impressions of this turn-based tactical MMO. [Source: gamigo press release]
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| Turbine outlines 2012 festivals, mentions new Farmer's Faire event Posted: 29 Mar 2012 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play  Turbine took to its forums yesterday to address the concerns, and while the dates aren't set in stone as of yet, it looks like all of the regular events are present and accounted for. LotRO's fifth anniversary festival leads things off next month, followed by the Spring Festival in May, the Farmer's Faire in July, the Summer Festival in August, and the Fall Festival in October. Wait, the Farmer's Faire? Yep, that's a new event, and we'll keep an eye out for news on that going forward.
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| Massively Exclusive: Star Trek Online announces EU relaunch, double XP weekend Posted: 29 Mar 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Launches, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play  Starting right now, the game, website, forums, and game support will be available in all three languages. To further cater to European players, Cryptic has vowed to add more EU-friendly event timeslots. Executive Producer Dan Stahl hopes this will spread STO across the world: "The launch of Star Trek Online in Europe is the culmination of our efforts over the past several years to bring gamers the Star Trek universe on a truly massive scale." All players can benefit from this European relaunch, as Q's coming back to celebrate with a double-XP bonus weekend. Anyone who logs in from today through Monday, April 2nd at 1:00 p.m. EDT will not only benefit from the a skill point and bridge officer point boost, but can claim a free IDIC Tribble of their very own. The Tribble provides a unique buff to your character based on his, her, or its class -- and if you manage to get all three buffs on you at once, you'll be granted an additional boost to damage, resistance, and health regen. [Source: Cryptic press release]
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| The Daily Grind: Would you pay extra for a filtered community? Posted: 29 Mar 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  Funcom executive producer Craig Morrison mentioned the possibility in 2011, and for today's Daily Grind, we'd like to know how you'd feel about being able to carve off pieces of a game world specifically for your friends, your guild, or your niche community (roleplayers-only, PvPers-only, etc.). Would you pay extra for dedicated communities or filtering technology?  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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| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superheroish Posted: 28 Mar 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Lore, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter  Unfortunately, for all its strengths, City of Heroes isn't all that great as a superhero game. It's clear that the people working on the game also know a lot about comics, and there's a definite sense that Paragon Studios works overtime at replicating the source material. But there's a lot of stuff that the game can't or won't handle, and as a result it's never felt like a game about superheroes so much as a game inspired by them. Most of the notes are there, but the music isn't, and I think I've finally nailed down a few reasons why. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superheroish
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| Free for All: From realistic dragons to a dragon icon Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Screenshots, Culture, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Free for All  The problem is that many MMOs do not provide that precise formula to hit my graphics sweet spot, or as in the more common scenario, there are parts of certain titles that I would adore if only they hadn't been packaged with the rest of the game. Ryzom, for example, is one of my favorite freemium titles. To this day, it packs more graphical punch and originality than games a quarter of its age. Now I find myself leaning more toward very basic graphics delivered smartly through my browser. I've even gone through an Anime obsession! Yes, it's been one of those years. Continue reading Free for All: From realistic dragons to a dragon icon
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| The Mittani gets hit with ban and resigns in wake of EVE Online controversy Posted: 28 Mar 2012 05:15 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Events, real-world, News items  CCP Games has been following the whole issue and has put together an official post detailing what happened at the panel, what went wrong, and what steps will be taken to ensure that this incident is not repeated. According the official response, the format for the panel was entirely wrong and went far beyond the boundaries of what is acceptable for an official event hosted by the company. Offhand remark or no, it looks like a few careless words have caused some major disruptions to the life of EVE Online players.
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| Cash rules everything around Pathfinder Online Posted: 28 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Sandbox  Beyond the basics of the game's economic theory, however, the entry also reveals something of the game's business model, explaining that players will also be able to spend real money to purchase Skymetal Bits. These Bits work as microtransaction currency, running the gamut of the usual microtransaction services (skill training, cosmetic items, special content, and so forth). If you've been following the game along thus far, you'll probably want to see what information the latest entry is providing.
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| Newest WildStar Wednesday talks about creatures like a boss Posted: 28 Mar 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, Previews, News items, WildStar  If you like your enemies with a thick carapace, the Xenobite Queen should be right up your alley, complete with vile poison and ravenous young. If you'd prefer to be pounded into the dirt by a mechanical emissary of the Dominion, the Ultrabot should provide you with all the laser-guided missile-flavored death you could want. Or you could face down a Frost Giant and enjoy watching a long-haired beast with poor eyesight hammer you into oblivion. It's all interesting flavor for fans of the game's development thus far, and it includes small factoids about the beasts that should prove completely irrelevant when fighting them. The more you know.
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| Hunker down and blow up: Meet PlanetSide 2's Engineer Posted: 28 Mar 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Classes, Previews, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2  Engineers are granted an Advanced Construction Engine that turns them into a walking, smart-talking factory. With this tool, Engineers can deploy anti-personnel and anti-vehicle turrets, anti-tank mines, and protective shield generators. In addition, the class will fill a vital role when it comes to repairing vehicle and suit damage In direct combat, the Engineer will rely on a trustworthy assortment of assault weapons, such as shotguns and SMGs. SOE predicts that the Engineer will be most valuable in holding a position and starting a siege against an enemy stronghold.
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| SOE showers Vanguard loyalists with gifts Posted: 28 Mar 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Vanguard, Free-to-play, Promotions  The studio announced a series of loyalty rewards for current subscribers that can be grabbed in-game by going to a Herald of Telon in a major city. The first rewards are a "Loyal" title, a Banshee pet, and a Bracelet of Lucky Charms. Currently only players on Halgar can obtain these rewards, with Telon's inhabitants gaining access tomorrow. Each set of rewards will only be available for a limited time, with more sets to come between now and the F2P relaunch.
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| Jumping out an airlock is a legitimate mode of travel in Line of Defense Posted: 28 Mar 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, MMOFPS, Dev Diaries  Line of Defense consists of four space regions, each with its own planets and moons. The regions are connected by jump gates in the Sirius/Barnard's Star systems pathway. However, when the game first launches, players will only have access to the planet of Lyrius, with other planets and moons coming afterward. Players can teleport from base to base on planets using Dynamic Jump Pads or can transfer to a station via a carrier. Jumpgates, however, will allow players in vehicles to traverse entire regions. But probably the most interesting mode of transportation is to let loose with an orbital drop from a space station down to the planet surface below. The one thing that Line of Defense won't have, however, is the ability to seamlessly transition between planets, bases, and regions without loading screens.
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| Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week three Posted: 28 Mar 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Polls, Dark Age of Camelot, Opinion, Hands-on, Humor, Choose My Adventure  Now, granted there's always an adjustment period with new MMOs, and I like to think of myself as a fairly patient person. I know that sometimes it might be a matter of minutes or understanding to flip "frustration" into "joy" and "boring" into "addictive," which is why it's good to stick games out until you're sure that the issue isn't with you playing the game wrong or being ignorant of what makes it work. That said, if I wasn't covering DAoC for this column but was just trying it out for myself, I certainly would not have subscribed after finishing the 14-day trial. New player journey or no, I found more aggravation than fun this past week and kept wondering to myself, "When does it start to get good? Where's all that great stuff players are telling me about? And as a Troll, how much lotion do I need to get my skin feeling silky soft?" Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week three
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| Grand Chase: Heroes updates with new player housing Posted: 28 Mar 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play  The new patch also features an Easter egg giveaway that will reward players with a fusion egg suit for their favorite characters. Check out the new video after the break for a sneak peek at the new playhouse system. [Source: SG Interactive press release] Continue reading Grand Chase: Heroes updates with new player housing
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| Forsaken World Nightfall expansion is officially live Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons  As for the expansion itself, it's got quite a bit of new content. Flying mounts are in, as are new areas like Nightfall Citadel which are full of quests and new exploration content. Players can now further customize their skill sets, participate in a new PvP arena season, and check out the new guild base system revamps. More details are available at the official Forsaken World website. [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]
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| EVE Fanfest videos viewable on YouTube Posted: 28 Mar 2012 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, EVE Online, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, DUST 514, Sandbox  Fortunately, the company has also thrown a bone to those of us who weren't able to attend (and who may have missed out on the extensive livestream coverage). A new post on the official EVE website has links to CCP's YouTube page, and there you'll find footage from CCP Presents, the EVE keynote speech, the DUST keynote speech, and the Tesselation tech demo. You can also check them out after the cut. Happy viewing! Continue reading EVE Fanfest videos viewable on YouTube
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