MMO Updates |
- The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak
- World of Warplanes video diary details classes, roles
- Xsyon welcomes back former players, gears up for totem decay
- Five top tips for your first few days of Diablo III
- Blizzard awarding Australian GAME customers free copy of Diablo III
- Star Trek Online dev not concerned with losing global playability for the sake of lock boxes
- Blade & Soul on track to launch in Korea this July
- The Daily Grind: Would you miss PvP if it disappeared from your favorite MMO?
- Diablo III launch day roundup
- Fable developer seeking online game designer for 'ambitious new project'
- RIFT introduces three-faction PvP with Conquest
- Captain's Log: A new perspective on STO's endgame
- Rumor: 38 Studios may be having financial trouble
- Learn the basics of Diablo III gameplay
- Not So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012
- New MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month
- Next beta weekend for The Secret World announced
- Storybricks demo and interview with Brian 'Psychochild' Green and Kelly Heckman
- Allods Online prepares players for patch 3.0.2 with a new mini-site
- Wings Over Atreia: This little Daeva went to market...
- TERA Tome database unleashes the mysteries of Arborea
- Leaderboard: EverQuest II's housing vs. Aion's housing
| The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak Posted: 15 May 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, Opinion, The Soapbox, Sandbox, The Elder Scrolls Online  Language is a pretty fascinating thing, and studying a second one is something I've long intended to do. Aside from entertaining thoughts of learning Korean to play ArcheAge, though (seriously, I looked into it), I haven't gotten around to much beyond college-level Deutsch. But as I watched last week's interview with The Elder Scrolls Online creative director Paul Sage, I realized that I already have some pretty good second-language skills. I'm fluent in both English and MMO dev-speak, so as a public service, I'm going to translate some of what Sage said into the former. Continue reading The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak
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| World of Warplanes video diary details classes, roles Posted: 15 May 2012 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, Video, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, War, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries, World of Warplanes  The clip introduces us to some of the dev personalities working on the game, as well as the three main aircraft classes (fighters, heavy fighters, and ground attack planes). "Fighters top the food chain," according to historical consultant Yuri Pasholok. "They are the most widespread, versatile, and -- pound for pound -- the deadliest class in the game." In comparison, ground attack birds are "slow, clumsy, and very heavy. To imagine what flying a ground attack plane is like, think of flying a tank," Pasholok says. Why would you want to fly a tank? Well, for the ridiculous amounts of destructive firepower, of course. Finally, heavy fighters are something of a middle ground between the previous two classes. They can take a beating better than their light fighter counterparts, but their main objective is defense and interception. Click past the cut to view the full video, and be sure to check out The Firing Line this Friday for an exclusive World of Warplanes producer interview. Continue reading World of Warplanes video diary details classes, roles
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| Xsyon welcomes back former players, gears up for totem decay Posted: 15 May 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Xsyon, Promotions, Post-Apocalyptic, Sandbox  The dates for the 10-day passes vary, according to Notorious' latest press release. If you're a previous subscriber, check your email over the next few days to see where your game time falls within the larger five-week promotional window. Also noteworthy for dedicated Xsyon players is the fact that the game's totem system will enter something called a decay phase once these trial periods are over. Totems represent land claimed by a particular guild, and those without any actively subscribed players will become abandoned in short order. Abandoned totems will then decay and free up the land for other players, while also leaving any buildings, resources, and containers free for the taking. [Source: Notorious Games press release]
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| Five top tips for your first few days of Diablo III Posted: 15 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, Launches, PvE, Opinion, Guides, Dungeons, Diablo III  #5 - Spend most of your time on one character It seems like a bit of a no-brainer to initially focus on one character, but in Diablo III's case, there's a special reason to do it. You'll likely finish normal mode around level 20-30, and until then, you'll get a new skill almost every level. It's only when you've completed normal mode and moved on to nightmare that the challenge really starts and you will have picked out an effective set of skills. Your last active skill unlocks at level 30, and from then on you'll gain a combination of two to three runes or passive skills every level until you hit the level cap at 60. Read on for four more tips you should keep in mind as you start playing Diablo III. Continue reading Five top tips for your first few days of Diablo III
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| Blizzard awarding Australian GAME customers free copy of Diablo III Posted: 15 May 2012 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Diablo III  Blizzard has since stepped in and offered to make good with a free digital copy as long as fans have a valid pre-order receipt. Kotaku has all the details on how to submit your receipt and receive your credit. The site also notes that Blizzard didn't get a dime of the original GAME pre-order payments, and is essentially taking one for the team by offering affected customers a free copy of Diablo III.
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| Star Trek Online dev not concerned with losing global playability for the sake of lock boxes Posted: 15 May 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Star Trek Online  When a discussion on the Jupiter Force forums noted that certain countries may have legal issues with lock boxes in the game, STO developer @borticus chimed in that the "most likely course of action here, if any is taken, is that STO becomes unplayable" in that country. When the conversation turned towards the loss of revenue from losing said countries, @borticus replied that probably less revenue would be lost from losing a country than abandoning lock boxes. Could lock boxes be making enough of a profit that losing an entire country's player base is a worthy trade off? It sounds like it. Anyone hoping that lock boxes were a temporary fad may want to stop holding their breath. [Thanks to "Some Guy" for the tip!]
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| Blade & Soul on track to launch in Korea this July Posted: 15 May 2012 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, MMO industry, Free-to-play, Blade & Soul  The company recently announced in an earnings call that the title is on track to go into open beta testing by June and then launch this July. There's some hope at NCsoft that the release of Diablo III will grow the potential gamer audience in the country, an audience that could be attracted to Blade & Soul come this summer. Currently the game is in closed beta, with the next round of testing commencing on May 22nd. ThisIsGame reports that Blade & Soul has stirred up controversy with testers due to a vitality system that limits how fast a player can advance his or her character.
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| The Daily Grind: Would you miss PvP if it disappeared from your favorite MMO? Posted: 15 May 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind  PvPers bristled at that notion, and many responded with variations on "well of course we don't play it because the implementation sucks." This led us to wonder about the importance of PvP in MMORPGs as well as the percentage of players who care about its inclusion. For today's completely unscientific and anecdotal morning poll, we'd like to know your thoughts on the matter. Are you apathetic or opposed to PvP, or would you miss it if it disappeared from your favorite MMO?  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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| Posted: 15 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Culture, Game mechanics, Launches, New titles, News items, Diablo III  In this launch article, we pull together some of the top Diablo III news from the past few months. If you're playing the game today (or not!), be sure to check out our top five tips for making the most of your first few days in Diablo III. Continue reading Diablo III launch day roundup
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| Fable developer seeking online game designer for 'ambitious new project' Posted: 14 May 2012 09:30 PM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous  Hey guys, since long-standing single-player titles' becoming MMOs is all the rage these days, did you know that the folks at Fable developer Lionhead Studios are looking to hire someone with a deep understanding of online multiplayer games to help them "define the multiplayer levels and experience of [their] ambitious new project"? Because according to the official job listing at Microsoft, they totally are. Of course, the first thing that came to our minds was could this mean a Fable MMO? Well, it could, but we're not sure yet. All we know right now is that Lionhead is looking for help to design a particularly ambitious (cough) online game, and if you take into consideration that late last year the studio was looking for an MMO-oriented programmer... well, fans of the Fable series or the studio itself should definitely keep their eyes on this one.
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| RIFT introduces three-faction PvP with Conquest Posted: 14 May 2012 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, News items, RIFT  RIFT players have been speculating about what the much-hyped but little-revealed PvP announcement for the title would be, but now it's official: RIFT is bringing out three-faction warfare. In a post on the RIFT official site, Trion Worlds has introduced the Conquest PvP mode, which is a "no-holds-barred, interdimensional battle" in which players can choose from one of three factions (the power-hungry Dominion, the noble Oathsworn, and the knowledge-seeking Nightfall) and take part in a three-way battle to answer one poignant question: "What is the role of the Ascended in the cosmos? To rule, to protect, or to ascend?" Players eager to become a part of the Conquest won't have to wait long. This Thursday, May 17th, at 7:00 EDT, Trion will be bringing Conquest to the public test server. All you have to do to get on the action yourself is head on over to the game's PTS "getting started" page and follow the instructions, and voila. So get out there and prepare for war, Ascended; it's time to conquer! [Thanks to Valorith for the tip!]
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| Captain's Log: A new perspective on STO's endgame Posted: 14 May 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Endgame, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Captain's Log  There are always a few options, however. Of course, these ideas aren't going to be everyone's cup of raktajino, but they're a start, and I want to take some time to discuss two possibilities that may help to provide a distraction while we all wait for fleet starbases, Tholians, and Ferasan (the new cat-like species to be released for the Klingon faction). Continue reading Captain's Log: A new perspective on STO's endgame
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| Rumor: 38 Studios may be having financial trouble Posted: 14 May 2012 06:20 PM PDT Filed under: Lore, News items, Rumors, Miscellaneous  If you consider that Rhode Island invested about $75 million in the company, it's obvious that the government has an interest in making the company remain viable over the long term. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was a moderate hit, but that might not be enough for the company as it develops. We'll have more on this story as it develops, hopefully with better news.
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| Learn the basics of Diablo III gameplay Posted: 14 May 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Launches, Guides, Diablo III  Since Diablo II was released 12 years ago, it's safe to say that Diablo III will be the first Diablo title many people will have ever played. It's one of the most anticipated titles of the season and is attracting countless new players to the genre. We've received a number of questions asking how this game is even played -- and if it has anything in common with your favorite MMOs. We have you covered. The core of Diablo gameplay is the mouse click. You do everything from combat to looting to movement with your mouse, and your interactions with your keyboard are extremely minimal overall. On Twitter recently, many Diablo diehards have mentioned they were buying a new mouse specifically to use with Diablo III -- and that's not a bad idea. No, we're not talking a brand-new $80 Razer Naga; we're talking some $10 to $15 thing you can pick up off of a department store shelf. You want a mouse that you're not going to mourn when your buttons inevitably give out from the mountain of abuse you're about to unleash upon them. Grab something cheap and disposable so that when it dies, you will consider it a victory -- just another technological corpse for the bone pile. Continue reading Learn the basics of Diablo III gameplay
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| Not So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012 Posted: 14 May 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III  League of Legends announced its upcoming MSI Beat IT tournament at DreamHack Summer 2012, with a prize fund of $40,000 US and a series of public online qualifiers. Bloodline Champions revealed its own $10,000 DreamHack tournament, with open in-game qualifiers scheduled for next weekend. Valve announced details of the second Dota 2 world championship, a series that started with last year's $1.6 million US tournament. Blizzard settled its lawsuit with Valve this week, renaming Blizzard DOTA to Blizzard All-Stars but securing the continued non-commercial use of the DotA name for the fan community. Heroes of Newerth released its incredibly successful new Midwars game mode, and Rise of Immortals put forth its official immortal spotlight for new immortal Nauria. Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012
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| New MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month Posted: 14 May 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, New titles, News items, MOBA  Watch out, MOBA fans: A new challenger has appeared! Indie game developer Kiz Studios announced in a press release today that its upcoming MOBA title, SmashMuck Champions, is set to enter closed beta this month. Of course, if you're anything like us, you're probably wondering what the heck a SmashMuck Champions is. According to the game's official site, the title is "a free-to-play action/strategy game featuring online multiplayer combat" in which players "build and train their own SmashMuck teams... to do battle in the toughest sport on Planet Muck." Gameplay-wise, the game seems to be your standard MOBA with a few not-so-standard twists. The addition of persistent champion gear plus interesting new mechanics such as stat-boosting training routines aim to put a new spin on the old formula. But hey, you don't have to take our word for it. The game will be entering closed beta testing on May 27th, so if you're a MOBA fan looking for a new thrill, just head on over to the game's official site and sign up for yourself. Oh, and while you're at it, don't forget to check out the game's latest official trailer after the cut. [Source: Kiz Studios press release] Continue reading New MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month
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| Next beta weekend for The Secret World announced Posted: 14 May 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Horror, Events, in-game, News items, The Secret World, Miscellaneous  The new event will feature a number of new areas, quests, and storylines. Players can learn more about the residents of Kingsmouth who have held out despite the town's current state as well as meet representatives of the Orochi Corporation observing the dark occurrences. Plus, all of the previous weekend's content will be available, so if you didn't get a chance to take part in the last test, you'll have plenty to explore within the horror-filled world.
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| Storybricks demo and interview with Brian 'Psychochild' Green and Kelly Heckman Posted: 14 May 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Interviews, Previews, Virtual worlds, Miscellaneous, Sandbox  Follow on past the cut and join me as I try to pinpoint Namaste's goals for the future of Storybricks. Continue reading Storybricks demo and interview with Brian 'Psychochild' Green and Kelly Heckman
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| Allods Online prepares players for patch 3.0.2 with a new mini-site Posted: 14 May 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Patches, PvP, Free-to-play, Allods Online, Dungeons, Crafting  Some of patch 3.0.2's big selling points include a revamp of the Alchemy profession, the ability for pets to do the looting, a neat-sounding mentor system, a new skirmish called The Deserted Farm, a free-for-all treasure hunting space, a new raid boss, and better questing. Before you head over to see all of the patch changes, make sure to catch up on the latest episode of Troll and Crab after the break! [Thanks to Alex for the tip!] Continue reading Allods Online prepares players for patch 3.0.2 with a new mini-site
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| Wings Over Atreia: This little Daeva went to market... Posted: 14 May 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wings Over Atreia  Bread Red Shell Potcrab Life Leaf Bulldozer... You all know the old adage "Never go grocery shopping while hungry," right? It is sound advice for avoiding filling your cart with impulse purchases that might decimate your budget (and your waistline). How many of you have also used the shopping list tactic to try to minimize said impulse purchases? Well, you just might want to put that skill into practice when visiting Aion's BlackCloud Marketplace. When the BlackCloud Marketplace launched last month, the inventory had pretty slim pickings for a game that needed to make all of its profit from the cash shop. Since all content in Aion is free, we knew more things would appear; it was just a matter of what and when. And even while there was still some trepidation about what items would be introduced over time (how many would play into the whole pay-to-win debate?), Daevas looked forward to new offerings and wondered what would be available next. Wonder no more! Those little Shugos came in last Wednesday and stocked the marketplace shelves with over 100 new items. Some items were expected, some were not, and some were even clamored for by the masses. To help you construct your shopping list before heading to the store, Wing Over Atreia has perused the aisles for you to find what's new, what's interesting, and what's on special. Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: This little Daeva went to market...
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| TERA Tome database unleashes the mysteries of Arborea Posted: 14 May 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, News items, TERA, Miscellaneous  TERA players, have you been spending weeks trying to find that one perfect weapon? Or maybe you just want to know which mob drops the crafting mats you need to pimp out your gear. Either way, the ZAM Network is here to help. En Masse Entertainment has announced on the official TERA site that ZAM's TERA database, alliteratively named TERA Tome, is live and kickin'. The current version of the site includes all of the nifty features that players have come to expect from ZAM's MMO databases, such as information on quests, items, and abilities as well as helpful forums and comments. Players trying to get a handle on their character's build should also find the site handy thanks to its useful glyph calculator that allows players to survey all currently available glyphs without the need to set foot in the game. Just head on over to the recently launched site to crack open the tome.
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| Leaderboard: EverQuest II's housing vs. Aion's housing Posted: 14 May 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Polls, Aion, EverQuest II, Game mechanics, Opinion, Humor, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard  Well, now that I've dipped into the well of delusion, it's time to emerge with my hair sopping wet and my mind open to the possibility of a player housing revival. With the advent of Aion's 3.0 update, players in this now-free-to-play game can move into a suburban dreamhouse and spend countless hours figuring out the exact decor to match the subtle majesty of the bathroom's toilet. But is it enough to challenge the de facto leader of player housing, EverQuest II? Mountains of novels have been written on this game's housing system, novels that were then used to construct a giant book fort in the middle of the grand ballroom. Because that's just how flexible that system can be. So pitted against each other in an interior design contest, which game would emerge triumphant? Cast your vote after the jump! Continue reading Leaderboard: EverQuest II's housing vs. Aion's housing
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