MMO Updates

MMO Updates

MMO Family: Mind your massively multiplayer manners revisited

Posted: 18 Apr 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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south park
In this week's MMO Family column, I want to dig deeper into something that came up as a result of the last edition, and that's the perception of younger gamers as generally being too immature, being too flighty, and lacking the social skills to be fun groupmates and guildmates in our MMOs. There were some great points all around, with some arguing that kids aren't good guildmates because of their age and others even arguing that some kids are more mature than adults.

Let's look at things a little differently this week. Suppose you are guilded or grouped with your son/daughter/little brother/niece/nephew/best friend's kid/etc. You can't blow him off because of your relationship to him or her, so what do you do to make sure he or she isn't that kid who drives everyone crazy in-game? I'm revisiting one of Lisa Poisso's past articles to see what rules of age etiquette we can come up with in this crazy age of gaming.

Continue reading MMO Family: Mind your massively multiplayer manners revisited

MassivelyMMO Family: Mind your massively multiplayer manners revisited originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    TERA ramping up the early-level challenges

    Posted: 18 Apr 2012 09:00 AM PDT

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    TERA - sorcerer vs. bam
    We all know that TERA's combat does things a little differently from the MMORPG norm. According to a new update, though, that's not all there is to the game's unorthodox approach.

    En Masse Entertainment is highlighting something it calls improved early play, which in a nutshell means that fresh-face Arborean avatars won't be killing 10 rats or delivering 10 rat tails while serving time on the TERA equivalent of a newbie island. Instead, the game's playable prologue "starts you right in the middle of the action: a beachhead under assault by demonic forces. It's not just a cutscene," En Masse says. "You'll be fighting big-ass monsters within minutes, learning the controls as you go."

    The piece goes on to talk about how challenge in TERA is actually challenging thanks to new tactics and deadlier attacks from low-level critters. Read all about it on TERA's official site.

    MassivelyTERA ramping up the early-level challenges originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Soul Captor Online announced

    Posted: 18 Apr 2012 08:30 AM PDT

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    Soul Captor Online
    There's a new cel-shaded sheriff coming to town -- and the only question is whether the place will be big enough for a contender this cute and cuddly. Gamania is pleased to trumpet the upcoming arrival of Soul Captor Online, a free-to-play title that revolves around the acquisition and manipulation of monster souls.

    In Soul Captor Online, players will be accompianied by an Anima, a customized spirit creature, that will help them in their journeys. When the player and Anima defeat a monster, the monster's soul can be sucked out to be used for buffs, enchantments, and even mounts.

    The revealed classes so far in Soul Captor are a diverse bunch: Warrior, Priest, Shaman, and of course, the Onmyoji (mage). There is a pair of unannounced classes hiding in the shadows as well.

    Currently, Soul Captor is accepting sign-ups for beta. Check out the tongue-in-cheek trailer after the jump and let us know what you think!

    Continue reading Soul Captor Online announced

    MassivelySoul Captor Online announced originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Funcom giving away in-game prizes, studio trips via The Secret World Facebook tie-in

    Posted: 18 Apr 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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    The Secret World - all your personal info are belong to us
    There's something decidedly ironic about a conspiracy-laden game rife with (fictional) secrets and sensitive information taking to Facebook to advertise itself. Funcom's new The Secret World MMO is doing just that, though, thanks to a tie-in game called The Secret War that kicked off last night.

    Docholidaymmo.com reports that the new Facebook game grants in-game prizes for The Secret World (in the form of cosmetic gear, potions, and starter weapons). Funcom is also giving away eight trips to its Montreal development studio as well as a chance to get your name embedded in The Secret World's retail client. Still not enough for you? How about chances to win access to the title's upcoming beta weekends?

    You'll need to head to the official Secret War site and link your Facebook account (or your fake Facebook account, according to the report). After you've done so, each of your Facebook friends who are playing the game will go into your pool of agents and may be assigned towards the ultimate goal of world domination.

    The Secret World is now available for pre-order and it launches June 19th.

    MassivelyFuncom giving away in-game prizes, studio trips via The Secret World Facebook tie-in originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    DC Universe Online releases Game Update 12

    Posted: 18 Apr 2012 07:00 AM PDT

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    DCUO
    It's super-patch day for the folks over at DC Universe Online, as SOE is bringing Game Update 12 to the live servers. The patch's biggest addition to the game is an overhaul of the bank UI. Now the bank will be easier to use, clearer to understand, and have a separate area for shared inventory.

    Game Update 12 is definitely about convenience. SOE's adding the option to purchase additional character slots for those whose altoholic natures have pushed the limits of the character select screen as far as it'll go. The update is also adding teleporters to give players an additional 15 seconds of leeway when trying to get into a Boss Alert after the door closes.

    As expected with any big update, this patch has plenty of bug and balance fixes as well. SOE is anticipating a four-hour downtime to deploy GU12 to the servers.

    MassivelyDC Universe Online releases Game Update 12 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Daily Grind: Would you ever pay to beta test?

    Posted: 18 Apr 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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    Ultima Online
    You might have read the title of today's Daily Grind and found yourself laughing uproariously, startling any small children or cats in the area. "Me? Pay for beta?" you chortle. "Why, that's the most ludicrous thing I've heard all day, and I've already been to The Onion!"

    But I'd like you to stop and actually consider it for a moment. Historically, people have paid for beta access; back in the late '90s, players shelled out a few bucks to get a copy of the Ultima Online beta CD. Even today, many pre-purchases and pre-orders involve exchanges of funds so that a beta key might be reserved.

    But what if MMO studios today came right out and blatantly started charging you to be a part of the beta process? Would you do it? What game would need to be involved, and for what price would you capitulate? Let us know in the comments, and please leave all "I'm already paying for a beta; it's called [Name of Launched Game]" snark at the door!

    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!

    MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Would you ever pay to beta test? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Game Archaeologist and the veteran of Kesmai

      Posted: 17 Apr 2012 07:00 PM PDT

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      Air Warrior ad
      Aaand we're back! Did you miss me? No? Not even a little bit? Aww, you know how to make me feel all kinds of appreciated!

      Even though it's been quite some time since we finished up our two-part series on the Kesmai company and its incredible (and little-remembered) role in powering up the MMO genre, I wanted to return to take the topic for one last spin. A fellow blogger, Wilhelm "The Ancient Gaming Noob" Arcturus, backs his nickname up by providing memories and stories from gaming eras well before many Massively readers' time. Since he actually played several Kesmai titles back in the day and lived to tell the tale, I wanted to pick his brain before we moved on to other titles.

      So join me in welcoming Wilhelm and his magical clockwork nostalgia retrieval system!

      Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the veteran of Kesmai

      MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the veteran of Kesmai originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Diablo III punches things up with a new Monk video and the end of beta

        Posted: 17 Apr 2012 06:00 PM PDT

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        No wolves howling at the moon? What madness.
        Diablo III is still putting together more previews as the game ramps up for its launch on May 15th. The latest reveal is for the Monk, a melee class that takes a very different approach from the already revealed Barbarian. Rather than attacking with massive weapons and overpowering rage, the Monk uses careful combo attacks, swift movements, and inner energy. Unleashing a Monk's spiritual power after a long chain of melee attacks can produce all sorts of effects, from area damage to dashing out of combat quickly.

        This reveal coincides with the announcement that the Diablo III beta will be coming to a close on Tuesday, May 1st. Character information will be wiped at that time, and players will be able to post on the official forums only in the event that they have pre-purchased the game or they have an active account for another Blizzard game. If the Monk reveal makes you anxious to play one and you're in the beta, you'd better get on that quickly or be prepared to wait for launch.

        MassivelyDiablo III punches things up with a new Monk video and the end of beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Aion gives Pando Media Booster the boot [Updated]

        Posted: 17 Apr 2012 05:00 PM PDT

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        Pando Dragon Booster still works with the game, but it's not recommended.
        If you've never heard of Pando Media Booster before, then you probably haven't downloaded one of several free-to-play games. It's meant to improve download speeds and speed in streaming clients, but in practical terms it's frequently cited as a resource hog that cripples performance on many computers. Aion was one of the many games that used the program following its transition to free-to-play, complete with the usual complaints, but as of now, the game can be played without the booster.

        As of this afternoon, the game can be downloaded directly from the master NCsoft launcher without using any third-party workarounds. If you had already downloaded and installed the game, you can feel free to safely shut down and uninstall Pando Media Booster without any impact on your gameplay. Considering the horror stories that have periodically circled around the program, Aion players will likely be happy to learn it's no longer associated with the game.

        [Update: NCsoft has contact us to clarify that the removal of Pando Media Booster from Aion is only temporary: "We temporarily removed Pando Media Booster so that we can test a variety of server-side adjustments regarding download completion rates and further refine the service we provide our players. We will bring Pando Media Booster back once we've optimized our service to provide the best download rates possible." Sorry for the confusion!]

        MassivelyAion gives Pando Media Booster the boot [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Star Wars: The Old Republic hosting a weekend trial while plague expands

        Posted: 17 Apr 2012 04:30 PM PDT

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        The Magnificent Seven Physicians? Minus three.
        If you're one of the few souls that hasn't yet tried Star Wars: The Old Republic just yet, this weekend is your next chance. With the Rakghoul Plague racing across the galaxy, BioWare is inviting potential new players to take a look at the game from April 19th at 1:01 a.m. EDT until April 23rd at 3:00 a.m. EDT. As in previous weekend events, players will be able to pick up their trial characters and continue leveling them in the event that they purchase the full game afterward.

        Of course, if you're already in the game, you're probably less concerned about new players and more concerned with the aforementioned plague. Darth Hater has assembled a guide for players including the latest updates to this ongoing world event running until April 24th, which should be more than enough to help players unlock rewards and see all there is to see during the outbreak. Just be prepared -- there are probably going to be a lot of new people over the weekend not fully versed in containment procedures.

        MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic hosting a weekend trial while plague expands originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Walk softly and carry a big stick with City of Heroes' new Staff Fighting powerset

        Posted: 17 Apr 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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        Screenshot -- City of Heroes
        In the high-fantasy-laden MMO space, staves have long been relegated to the realm of things-for-spellcasters-to-hold-while-finger-wiggling, but what happened to the good ol' days of just bludgeoning the daylights out of someone with a big stick? Well, thanks to City of Heroes, those days are back courtesy of the new Staff Fighting powerset, though there's no word as to whether it will also allow you to walk softly.

        What it will allow you to do, though, is fight in one of three different forms (Body, Mind, or Soul), each of which provides you with a unique stacking buff that can then be consumed to execute the powerful Eye of the Storm and Sky Splitter abilities. The new powerset is available for the Brute, Scrapper, Stalker, and Tanker archetypes, and would-be kung-fu masters can pick it up from the Paragon Market for 800 Paragon Points.

        MassivelyWalk softly and carry a big stick with City of Heroes' new Staff Fighting powerset originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Alganon delays expansion, plans double-XP weekend

        Posted: 17 Apr 2012 03:00 PM PDT

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        Alganon
        Citing "unforseen circumstances," the team at QOL has announced that Alganon's Rise of the Ourobani expansion will be delayed until the fourth quarter of this year. "After evaluation of the project, it was decided that more time was needed in order to do some critical bug fixes as well as to spend more time on certain areas and features of the expansion in order to do the best work possible," the devs wrote in the April newsletter.

        Rise of the Ourobani will feature the playable titular race, a brand-new continent to explore, a Warden combat companion, PvP, and flying mounts. To soften the blow of the expansion's delay, QOL has released several sneak peek pictures and videos.

        Even though the expansion is a ways away, players have a reason to log in now, as Alganon is preparing a double-XP weekend from April 20 through the 23rd.

        You can watch Rise of the Ourobani flying mounts in action after the break.

        Continue reading Alganon delays expansion, plans double-XP weekend

        MassivelyAlganon delays expansion, plans double-XP weekend originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Massively Speaking Episode 197: The audio plague

        Posted: 17 Apr 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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        SWTOR
        Massively Speaking Episode 197 reviews a big week for MMOs, with several launches, updates, and live events going off all over the place. We had to hit the big red Massively Alarm three times during this time, prompting the MassivelyBusters to jump out of their beds, slide down the pole, and take the NERF-1 out to the scene of the action. Then we farmed spores, molds, and fungi with Elisabeth Cardy.

        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.
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        [MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
        Listen here on the page:



        Read below the cut for the full show notes.

        Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 197: The audio plague

        MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 197: The audio plague originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Flameseeker Chronicles: Simplicity itself

          Posted: 17 Apr 2012 01:00 PM PDT

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          Guild Wars 2 concept art
          ArenaNet is designing Guild Wars 2 to appeal to bucketloads of people. The studio's got the PvP and competition, the high-end dungeon challenge, the super-cooperative and dynamic PvE content, the compelling and branching storyline, the flashy (and occasionally sensibly flashy) armors -- there's a lot going on. Part of what makes that possible is the use of very approachable systems.

          These simple systems pop up all over the place: the straight-forward lists of boons and conditions that affect players, the common capture point mechanic over which more intricate PvP objectives can be layered, and the relatively small pool of skills from which to assemble a build. The beauty of their simplicity is that the simplicity itself isn't a limiting factor -- you can't do only simple things with them.

          In this way, simple systems have a low entry barrier and a high complexity capacity. That means that more people can enjoy the game with relatively little skill and that there's a lot of room for time, dedication, and finesse to lead to outstanding results. Anyone can play, but not everyone can (or will) master elements of the game.

          Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Simplicity itself

          MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Simplicity itself originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Soapbox: The curious case of Vanguard

            Posted: 17 Apr 2012 12:30 PM PDT

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            Vanguard - magic hour duo
            Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

            "Yaaay!"

            "FU-- yeah!"

            "Finally."

            "WOW! This is the best MMO news I have heard in a long time!"

            These are just a few of the comments that greeted our recent announcement of Vanguard's upcoming free-to-play conversion. The reactions were overwhelmingly positive, and Sony Online Entertainment's open-world fantasy themepark was lavished with praise by a wide cross-section of Massively readers. This makes me wonder where all these folks have been since the game's launch in early 2007. It's not like Vanguard shut down and is being resurrected, you know? More importantly, I wonder whether free-to-play can actually save the game from the scrap heap of shuttered SOE MMOs.

            Continue reading The Soapbox: The curious case of Vanguard

            MassivelyThe Soapbox: The curious case of Vanguard originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              SOE trumpets EverQuest's F2P success

              Posted: 17 Apr 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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              EverQuest - a living legend
              How's that free-to-play experiment working out for EverQuest? Pretty well, according to Sony Online Entertainment's latest press release. The company has just published a few facts and figures relating to the recent conversion of its long-running fantasy themepark. Some of the more interesting nuggets include a 125% spike in item sales, a 150% uptick in unique log-ins, and over three times as many account registrations when compared to the subscription model.

              SOE has also released a handy video recap for EverQuest newbs. The game has been around since 1999, after all, so have a look at the Living Legend clip after the break to catch up on 13 years of MMO history.

              [Source: SOE press release]

              Continue reading SOE trumpets EverQuest's F2P success

              MassivelySOE trumpets EverQuest's F2P success originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                SWTOR's official website receives a facelift

                Posted: 17 Apr 2012 11:00 AM PDT

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                SWTOR: New website
                At approximately 2 a.m. EDT, the Star Wars: The Old Republic website dropped offline for 11 hours to receive a much-needed facelift. The previous site had used the same look for nearly four years, focusing on a pre-launch presentation. But at noon EDT, a fresh new site was revealed to the world.

                According to the SWTOR community team post, this new site, which was rebuilt from the ground up, will provide "the latest game updates in an easy to navigate way." The team expounds on what we should expect from the new site later in the article, "In addition to all of the latest news and information that is released, we're also going to give you much more information about in-game content." The first example of this is the breakdown of each of the 17 flashpoints.

                Although the new site falls back on a more traditional look, the community team assures us that this will help to increase the site's overall functionality and allow for additional features such as guild support, skill trees, character profiles, and more.

                MassivelySWTOR's official website receives a facelift originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Fansite details DUST 514 newbie experience

                Posted: 17 Apr 2012 10:30 AM PDT

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                DUST 514 - merc battlefield concept art
                Fansite DUST514.org has the best introductory info dump we've seen to date regarding CCP's upcoming DUST 514 MMOFPS.

                The sci-fi shooter is, of course, set in EVE Online's New Eden universe, but how exactly does the new player experience look and feel? That question is answered at length on the site's latest blog post. Dropsuits and dropsuit fittings are covered in detail, as is DUST's complex skill system.

                Also noteworthy are the tidbits relating to missions and PvP. DUST, like EVE, starts newbs off in high-security space, where there are plenty of NPC corporations willing to hand out mercenary contracts. These aren't just bot matches, though, as you'll go up against other players who have chosen to work for competing corporations. The blog also delves into DUST's version of blueprint originals and blueprint copies as they relate to gear acquisition, not to mention a host of other interesting topics.

                MassivelyFansite details DUST 514 newbie experience originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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