MMO Updates |
- Free for All: I got the Second Life inventory management blues
- BioWare shows off SWTOR's customizable UI in new video
- Ensemble Online gears up for beta, launches Kickstarter drive
- Entropia Universe player drops $2.5 million on virtual land deeds
- Aion opens a new server, eliminates subs, and reactivates accounts today
- Hi-Rez Studios offering exclusive Tribes and SMITE demos at PAX East
- The Daily Grind: What's on your MMO bucket list?
- Hyperspace Beacon: Breaking the bank
- Bring your pals to The Old Republic with a newly extended Friends Trial
- The Soapbox: Casual is as casual does
- Report: 64% of Chinese gamers spend money on online games
- Spirit Tales open beta goes live April 25th; cuteness levels critical
- Flameseeker Chronicles: What's your golden carrot?
- Captain's Log Supplemental: Klingon Awareness Week and First Contact Day
- En Masse shares new TERA argon lore, screens
- The Game Archaeologist: Bio break!
| Free for All: I got the Second Life inventory management blues Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Real life, Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, Second Life, Free-to-play, Casual, Virtual worlds, Free for All  Also, I have an obsession with minimizing my life. I hate physical stuff. It takes up room, collects dust, and just sits there. Sure, I maintain all of my art if I can and some other important items like pictures and cute little knick-knacks, but otherwise, if I don't use it, it gets tossed, sold, or set on the curb for the junk-people to grab. I feel the same way about Second Life. There's a mental burden that years of junk presses onto someone, digital representation or not. It's no wonder those people in that Hoarders show look so down; it's a hard life to lose the ability to throw anything away, ever. I am making a stand, slowly. I am going to get this inventory under control by coming up with some ideas to help me along. Continue reading Free for All: I got the Second Life inventory management blues
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| BioWare shows off SWTOR's customizable UI in new video Posted: 04 Apr 2012 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic  BioWare lead interface artist Michael Voigt walks us through the particulars of TOR's HUD in a new video just posted to the game's official website. Players will be pleased to note that both the placement and size of each UI element can be adjusted, and accessing the layout mode is as easy as clicking the plus button on the top left of your hotbar. BioWare has also included three pre-made layouts: the default mode, an extended quickbar setup, and a retro look that moves the target and map circle to the top of the screen (and the chat window to the bottom). Head past the break to watch the clip. Continue reading BioWare shows off SWTOR's customizable UI in new video
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| Ensemble Online gears up for beta, launches Kickstarter drive Posted: 04 Apr 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, MMORTS, Miscellaneous  SemiFormal bills the game as "the world's first MMORTS," and the company says that it allows you to "tactically control territory, harvest resources, and build buildings anywhere on an expansive, real-time, never-ending map." The game doesn't limit where you can build, either, and there are no text-based battles (nor do you lose your progress when you log out). If that's piqued your interest, head to the official site to learn more about the game, and don't forget to check out the Ensemble Kickstarter page to contribute.
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| Entropia Universe player drops $2.5 million on virtual land deeds Posted: 04 Apr 2012 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Entropia Universe, Business models, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play  In a nutshell, the system allows players to amass weekly profits directly from the game after an initial investment of $100 for a single land deed. Investment opportunities are open to anyone with an Entropia avatar, and MinkArk also reports that the game features over one million registered accounts and over $400 million in annual user-to-user transactions. [Source: MinkArk press release]
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| Aion opens a new server, eliminates subs, and reactivates accounts today Posted: 04 Apr 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Business models, Expansions, News items, Free-to-play  Starting today, players will be able to log into the new Kahrun server to create characters and reserve names; however, actual play will not be possible until the launch on April 11th. Catering to the Central Time Zone, all sieges, arena timers, and the like will be based on CST. All accounts are also changing from subscriptions to the Truly Free model, eliminating all billing. Still have a month, three months, or even a year of time left? In compensation, NCsoft is crediting players by converting all remaining game time to NCoin at a ratio of 40 NCoin per remaining day. Don't panic if you don't see the credit immediately; it might take a couple days to process everything. On top of all this, all inactive accounts in good standing are reactivating today to give Daevas a chance to prepare for 3.0. So dust off those wings and jump back in!
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| Hi-Rez Studios offering exclusive Tribes and SMITE demos at PAX East Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Previews, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, Massively Event Coverage, MOBA  Players who visit booth 962 can check out a new preview release build of Tribes: Ascend before the game launches later this month. The demo contains a new game mode, Capture & Hold, which is a fast-paced experience that requires the mastery of vehicles and teamwork. Players will also get to see the return of a classic 1998 Tribes map revamped for modern times: Raindance. Hi-Rez's other PAX East offering is its MOBA SMITE, which is in closed alpha testing. Here attendees can choose from one of 15 deities and head out on to 5v5 battleground maps for serious smackdown. New to the public are six of these playable deities and the first look at the Fire Giant mob. [Source: Hi-Rez press release]
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| The Daily Grind: What's on your MMO bucket list? Posted: 04 Apr 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  What would you like to achieve in MMOs before your game is over? Are there games you want play that you've never tried before? Do you always wish you could be part of a successful endgame raid, just once? Are you hanging in there until that MMO you've anticipated for years finally releases? Would you like to find true love among a million avatars? Put it down on paper and then let us know: What's on your MMO bucket list?  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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| Hyperspace Beacon: Breaking the bank Posted: 03 Apr 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Economy, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon  SWTOR's Update 1.2: Legacy introduces a boatload of content and other useful changes to the game. From the Legacy system itself, which rewards different types of solo gameplay, to additional story elements, such as a new PvP warzone and 16-man operation on the new planet of Denova, this game update attempts to show the subscribers that the monthly fee actually gets them something. Many of the new additions to the game have been described as systems that should have been in at launch but for whatever reason had to be shelved for a later date. Some gaming media personalities believe that BioWare is hanging a lot of hope on this patch, labeling it "the Jesus Patch." And the guild bank is intended as a key feature of that patch. Thanks to Yll of the Test Guild on the public test server, I learned first-hand what the guild banks have to offer. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Breaking the bank
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| Bring your pals to The Old Republic with a newly extended Friends Trial Posted: 03 Apr 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic  The galaxy can be a big, cold, and lonely place, and BioWare knows it. That's why the studio has decided to increase the number of friends that players can invite to join them in Star Wars: The Old Republic courtesy of a seven-day free trial. Whereas before players were only able to invite a paltry three friends at a time, now burgeoning social butterflies can drag up to 25 of their friends into The Old Republic. It's worth noting, of course, that the free trial period does come with some limitations. Friends invited for the free trial will only be able to progress to level 15, and trial characters can play only "on their Origin World, Capital World, at the Fleet, [in] a Warzone, and in their first Flashpoint." But if you've got some friends who are on the fence about subscribing to the game, those seven days just might be enough to get them hooked. So get out there, rally your friends, and get to conquering the galaxy.
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| The Soapbox: Casual is as casual does Posted: 03 Apr 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous  It's time to put an overused MMO term to bed, and by "put to bed," I of course mean that it should be executed with great prejudice. Actually, there are lots of terms that I'd like to see retired permanently. "Toon" can go, for instance, as can "mob" for single enemies. And people have really worn out "nerf" beyond belief. But those are all issues of personal preference. No, the term I'm talking about is "casual." As in "casual player," a creature as rare and mythical as the Loch Ness monster. Also like the Loch Ness monster, it doesn't actually exist. In the case of the latter, it exists only through a handful of doctored photos and a lot of people who really want to see a pleisiosaur in Scotland; in the case of the former, it's a strawman concept that no longer has any purpose in our collective lexicon. Continue reading The Soapbox: Casual is as casual does
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| Report: 64% of Chinese gamers spend money on online games Posted: 03 Apr 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Economy, MMO industry, Free-to-play, Miscellaneous  And while MMOs still account for a good portion of the income, they've lost some ground to other types of games, according to Niko Partners Managing Partner Lisa Cosmas Hanson. "Online games revenues are now more distributed among various platforms and genres than they have been in past years, when MMORPGs compiled the vast majority of domestic revenue," she said. Other interesting details from this report include the news that players are spending less time per week on games and that one in 10 players in the country is over 40 years of age.
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| Spirit Tales open beta goes live April 25th; cuteness levels critical Posted: 03 Apr 2012 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Free-to-play  Over the past couple of weeks, we've gotten a few glimpses of KoramGame's upcoming free-to-play MMO, Spirit Tales, but so far the game has been closed off to all but select closed beta testers. Thankfully for those who have been waiting patiently to get their hands on the game, KoramGame has announced that the title (with all of its precious chibi goodness) will be bouncing into open beta on April 25th. To celebrate the occasion, the studio has announced that it will be giving away over $2000 in prizes to players who sign up for the game's open beta. The prizes run the gamut from in-game items to a snazzy NVidia GeForce GTX 560 video card. If you can brace yourself against the sheer concentrated cute that the game has on display, it may be worth your while to head over to the giveaway site and sign up for yourself. [Source: KoramGame press release]
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| Flameseeker Chronicles: What's your golden carrot? Posted: 03 Apr 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles, Dungeons  Although I'll certainly never make the claim that the game will please everyone, or even that ArenaNet's fine folks are trying to please everyone, it is evident that they're building in support for a wide variety of play and reward styles. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: What's your golden carrot?
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| Captain's Log Supplemental: Klingon Awareness Week and First Contact Day Posted: 03 Apr 2012 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Previews, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Captain's Log  In the midst of writing up the wonderful interviews I had with members of Cryptic Studios' Star Trek Online development team, I saw that the game's April calendar was posted and contained some interesting new events. This was the sign that it was all right for me to discuss the new Klingon mission that is set to be released on Thursday, April 5th! So today, I will lightly touch upon my experience with testing the mission in this column. I don't expect to be delivering spoilers, so everyone will be able to experience it for himself when it debuts. In releasing the new mission, Cryptic decided to take advantage of a community-based effort called Klingon Awareness Week (KAW) and set the release date to occur right in the middle of the event. This week also sees the return of First Contact Day events for the Federation side, which will showcase its own unique rewards. Let's dig in to each of these great events! Continue reading Captain's Log Supplemental: Klingon Awareness Week and First Contact Day
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| En Masse shares new TERA argon lore, screens Posted: 03 Apr 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA  While we're on the subject of lore, we've got some more of it for you today courtesy of En Masse's latest press dump. You'll find plenty of backstory on the argons after the break, and you can also see some fresh screenshots in our gallery below. Continue reading En Masse shares new TERA argon lore, screens
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| The Game Archaeologist: Bio break! Posted: 03 Apr 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Anarchy Online, EverQuest, PlanetSide, MMO industry, News items, Vanguard, Free-to-play, Everquest Online Adventures, The Game Archaeologist  I planned to take some time off of TGA while I went through Dark Age of Camelot in Choose My Adventure (which you're all reading, yes?), but there was so much to talk about regarding older MMOs that I couldn't sit back and stay mum. Ergo, I've dashed off this special "break" column devoted to commenting on recent news about classic games. Hopefully this will help tide you over until I get back into the full swing of things in April. On the docket for today's discussion is Vanguard's forthcoming F2P change, EverQuest's recent conversion, Anarchy Online's stunning graphic engine video, and more! Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Bio break!
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