MMO Updates |
- TERA goes on special sale on Amazon, comes with shiny mask
- WRUP: How is this not fully funded edition
- The Daily Grind: How much character customization is too much?
- Betawatch: May 12 - 18, 2012
- MMObility: An exclusive look at the Runespan in RuneScape
- The Elder Scrolls Online Ebonheart Pact faction profiled
- Age of Empires developers talk about free-to-try and free-to-play
- New flythrough video previews Project Copernicus
- EVE Insider gets into the nitty gritty of the new ally system
- Turbine is recruiting next week in (where else?) Rhode Island
- Matt Firor on The Elder Scrolls Online's '100% solo' personal story
- 38 Studios' Project Copernicus to release in June 2013, says RI governor
- Storyboard: The second anniversary of Storyboard
- The Firing Line: World of Warplanes producer talks matchmaking, progression
| TERA goes on special sale on Amazon, comes with shiny mask Posted: 19 May 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, News items, TERA  We've told you previously about Amazon's special limited-time MAYhem sales, but the news just keeps getting better. Today TERA is on sale at 50% off (and it will be again on May 26th), bringing it down to a delectable $24.99 for the standard edition and $29.99 for the collector's. What's more, folks who purchase between now and May 28th will get treated to an "Olive Bandit Mask," an exclusive new facial customization feature. The olive bandit mask is a subtle bit of headwear for essential outlaw occasions. This mask disguises your identity while enhancing your reputation as a figure of mystery. Don't get caught without your exclusive olive bandit mask while out adventuring in the world of TERA. Better yet, don't get caught at all.If you're kicking yourself for missing out on a free goodie because you purchased the game already, fear not! Any Amazon customers who've previously bought the Digital Download of TERA will have the item code automagically placed into their Games and Software Library. Amazon's aiming to reward its loyal users by making sure that all such unique content is offered to all customers. That means that anyone who purchases now will also be eligible to receive any future unique promotional items. If you've been waiting for a price-drop to take a running jump into the world of TERA, it just may be that now's your time, especially since there's nothing cuter than a Popori in a bandit mask. [Source: Amazon press release]
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| WRUP: How is this not fully funded edition Posted: 19 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Massively Meta, Miscellaneous  I think this should be rectified. My only regret is not having the full sum to just fill up the funding by my lonesome. What's that? Oh, right, WRUP, in which the Massively staff members discuss what they'll be playing over the next two days. We also discuss our thoughts on open vs. instanced housing. Jump on past the break to see our weekend plans, and let us know what you're going to be doing in the comments! Continue reading WRUP: How is this not fully funded edition
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| The Daily Grind: How much character customization is too much? Posted: 19 May 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  I don't think players are really confused by a mind-numbing array of options. Heck, some of us live for cosmetic gear and could never get enough. But each one of these character tidbits was designed and modeled and textured and coded in by someone, and while we know that game development resources aren't wholly fungible, it's still true that money spent on pigtails and lollipop weapons and hats that look like snakes is money not spent on other features like housing and combat -- features more likely to be used by far more players than bunny ears. How much character customization is too much?  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: 18 May 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, MMO industry, Betawatch, Miscellaneous  CCP has begun sending out DUST 514 beta keys and opened registration, and we've also learned that Blade & Soul will leave beta and launch in July... but only in Korea. Sadface. Finally, The Secret World's second beta weekend kicked off earlier today, but if you're not in it, you can content yourself with our hands-on with the game's combat and mission system. Enjoy the entirety of our Betawatch roundup post-cut! Continue reading Betawatch: May 12 - 18, 2012
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| MMObility: An exclusive look at the Runespan in RuneScape Posted: 18 May 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Interviews, Patches, News items, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile, Hands-on, Casual, Miscellaneous, MMObility, Crafting  Of course, those pesky developers are at it again: giving me more content to go through even though my highest skills hover around only the level 40 mark. This time it's the Runespan, a brand-new area that helps players level runecrafting by offering them a one-stop shop that is more casual and non-competitive than the normal runecraft experience. I got the chance to call up some of the lead developers on the phone and ask not only about the Runespan but about the new FPS improvements, so be sure to check that out! Continue reading MMObility: An exclusive look at the Runespan in RuneScape
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| The Elder Scrolls Online Ebonheart Pact faction profiled Posted: 18 May 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, News items, Races, The Elder Scrolls Online  The flashlight of knowledge has already been directed at two of The Elder Scroll Online's three main political factions, and now the third is getting a little time in the light. We've already told you about the Daggerfall Covenant and the Aldmeri Dominion, and today Game Informer is closing out ouroboros with the third faction, the Ebonheart Pact. The alliance that makes up the Ebonheart Pact was first forged after an Akaviri invasion, when the Nords and Dunmer banded together and then cut the Argonians in on the friendliness in order to find safety in numbers. While the Aldmeri Dominion is bent on conquering and ruling, the Ebonheart Pact is really just an attempt to stay alive in a world of invasions and power struggles. The Dunmer, also called Dark Elves, call the familiar lands of Morrowind home. Skyrim, which a few folks may have heard of thanks to a rather underground game that came out last year, is home to the militant and cold-resistant Nords. The reptilian Argonians, or Saxhleel as they like to call themselves, come from the Black Marsh, also known (by way of total coincidence, I'm sure) as Argonia. They share the area with the Hist, a race of sentient trees, and all matter of poisonous and malicious critters and plants. If you need help keeping all the names straight (the Nords are also referred to as children of the sky, by the way, although apparently that's an informal title), be sure to read the full profile.
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| Age of Empires developers talk about free-to-try and free-to-play Posted: 18 May 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Historical, Business models, Interviews, News items, MMORTS, Age of Empires Online  Gas Powered Games is aiming to take Age of Empires Online out of DLC-supported free-to-play and into a truly free model. That means moving away from what Systems Design Lead Eric Williamson described as "more of a free to try" model and implementing a system through which players can earn points to unlock anything that could be more quickly bought with money. In anticipation of this change, PC Gamer sat down with Williamson and Design Lead Steve Bauman for a chat about some of the philosophy behind the change. Williams said that their hope is that people who were previously turned off by the imperative that they spend money for full in-game advantage will be willing to give it another go. Players will now be able to earn enough points to unlock a premium civilization in "as short as two or three weeks of daily play," so those who spend the most time in-game will reap the greatest reward. Empire points, the purchase resource that will be gained by either money or in-game achievement, will be earned by players as they complete specific campaign quests, level up, and participate in Alliance Contests.
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| New flythrough video previews Project Copernicus Posted: 18 May 2012 03:45 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Previews, News items  Players of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will no doubt recognize some of the environmental looks if not the exact locations, but everyone can appreciate the design that's gone into each region. Of course, it's a long road between showing a pretty place and making a playable game, and 38 Studios is still struggling to keep its head above water. But the MMO the studio has promised seems a bit more plausible now, and hopefully there's a light at the end of this particular tunnel. [Thanks to all the tipsters who sent this in!] Continue reading New flythrough video previews Project Copernicus
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| EVE Insider gets into the nitty gritty of the new ally system Posted: 18 May 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox  In a never-ending effort to facilitate the spread of war and destruction, the good folks at CCP have cooked up an Ally System for EVE Online's upcoming Inferno expansion -- a system that will enable players to put their services on hire or find a buddy to join them in a war. In a dev diary update today, the system was brought out into the light and displayed in detail. Wars you're engaged in will show up in the Our Wars tab (under the Wars tab, under the Corporation tab in your Neocom), as will any wars that you're an ally in. If you're a CEO or Director, you can list yourself as Open For Allies and decide whether or not to accept offers for help -- which you should expect, naturally, to come at a price. Negotiation of prices can be carried out through normal communication channels, as the current UI allows you only to accept or decline the offer. If trouble hasn't found you and you want to spice things up, the All Wars tab is the place for you: It's a list of, well, all active wars, with information like who's asking for an ally and wars with one or more allies. By default, the list shows the 50 most recent wars, but it's also searchable by corporation/alliance. There's an "Assitance requests only" box that you can check to speed up the sword-selling process. Once you've made an offer, possibly done some negotiating, and been accepted, you'll be counted as an ally, although you'll have to wait 24 hours to start fighting. The purpose of this system is to give more options to defenders, introduce some risk for attackers, and provide ways for mercenaries to support themselves. There's a whole list of extra rules and explanation over on the blog proper, so be sure to check it out.
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| Turbine is recruiting next week in (where else?) Rhode Island Posted: 18 May 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Miscellaneous  The shindig runs from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Hotel Providence, and Turbine is looking to fill 50 job openings at its Needham studio location (and hey, they're probably even paid positions!). Check out a listing of current opportunities at the official Time Warner career website. [Source: Turbine press release]
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| Matt Firor on The Elder Scrolls Online's '100% solo' personal story Posted: 18 May 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, New titles, News items, The Elder Scrolls Online  Games in the Elder Scrolls series have always been about giving players the opportunity to become the game's hero, and it looks like The Elder Scrolls Online will be no different. The title's game director, Matt Firor, has announced that each character's main storyline in the game will be "100% solo." Firor points back to the previous entries in the series, stating that "in The Elder Scrolls games, you're always the hero... The last thing you want to do is have the final confrontation with Mehrunes Dagon as he's stomping across the Imperial City, and you see like 15 guys behind you waiting to kill him." While it's a good point, we can't help but wonder what kind of an impact this design will have on the social aspect of the MMO, but at this point all we can do is wait and see. Firor's full interview over on Game Informer has plenty of extra information as well, so if you're jonesing for more details, just head on over and check it out for yourself.
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| 38 Studios' Project Copernicus to release in June 2013, says RI governor Posted: 18 May 2012 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, MMO industry, Legal  38 Studios Founder and Chairman Curt Schilling said on Facebook that rumors of his using the state funds to repay his personal investment in the company was "not true." In a separate post, Schilling attempted to set an optimistic tone: "We will find a way, and the strength, to endure." We have been following the financial turmoil that 38 Studios is in following its default on paying back Rhode Island for its $75 million loan. The studio and state are looking for options, but in the meanwhile, 38 Studios has been struggling to make payments by holding back employee paychecks and seeking additional capital from private investors.
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| Storyboard: The second anniversary of Storyboard Posted: 18 May 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous  You don't remember them, of course, because none of them was ever posted. Those several months of work did not produce a single viable column. At the capstone of the second year of Storyboard, I'm forced to basically eat crow about one of my major plans for the last year because it turns out that not only did it not work but it didn't need to work in the first place. I managed to fill up another year of columns just fine without going into great detail about one game over another, and as it turns out, I'm a lot happier with this year as a whole anyway. Continue reading Storyboard: The second anniversary of Storyboard
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| The Firing Line: World of Warplanes producer talks matchmaking, progression Posted: 18 May 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items, War, Free-to-play, Massively Interviews, World of Warplanes, The Firing Line  The World War II action MMO masters are slipping the surly bonds of earth with a new lobby-based battler that's currently flying through the early phases of its global alpha test. I had a few burning questions for the devs, including specifics on the matchmaking system, progression, and the possibility of historical scenarios. Producer Anton Sitnikau was gracious enough to answer those and more, so head past the break to see what he had to say. Continue reading The Firing Line: World of Warplanes producer talks matchmaking, progression
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