MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Road to Mordor: A guide for returning players

Posted: 02 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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LotRO
Coming back to an MMO that you used to play is a whole different ball of wax than getting into it for the first time. While you have less to do and absorb than beginners, it can be just as overwhelming in its own way. What are all these skills again? Why do I owe some Hobbit mortgage company a zillion gold to unlock my house? Why is the screen throwing a fit with a non-stop parade of deed announcements?

Recently, I returned to another MMO after a half-year or so absence (it's RIFT, if you must know), and I was almost frozen with apprehension over all the changes. Because the world I used to know had changed in so many ways, I didn't know how much to rely on my memories and where to go to figure out what these changes were. Fortunately, an enterprising member of the dev team created a wonderfully handy post that quickly outlined all of the changes over the past year so that returners could get caught up quickly.

I like this idea so much that I decided to do the same for Lord of the Rings Online. Ever since free-to-play hit, it's become so much easier to drift in and out of this game, and as Turbine's been ramping up the changes, it's possible to feel the same apprehension upon reentry that I did with RIFT. Freak not, fair friend, for I am here to guide the way.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A guide for returning players

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: A guide for returning players originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    WRUP: TERA defeats Truman edition

    Posted: 02 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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    Dewey Defeats Monster.
    Yes, I'm so confident about the end of the latest Choose My Adventure poll that I'm just going to call it now. TERA will defeat Harry S. Truman. So tune in Wednesday for Truman holding a laptop over his head and smiling as he will be elected as the next... um... game that I'll be playing?

    OK, I guess that kind of got away from me somewhere in there. It does seem pretty certain that TERA's going to win, though.

    But did you come here for my random ditherings? Hopefully, since that's what marks every intro to WRUP. But WRUP isn't just about that; it's also about what the Massively staff will be playing over the weekend. This week, we also talked about whether or not we believe that developers read and incorporate player feedback. So check out what we'll be doing down below, and let us know what you have planned for the weekend in the comments!

    Continue reading WRUP: TERA defeats Truman edition

    MassivelyWRUP: TERA defeats Truman edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: Do you like bonus experience systems?

      Posted: 02 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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      City of Heroes
      "Rested experience" in MMOs seems like it ought to be a casual player's best friend, right? If you log out for long enough, the game will double your experience gain rate the next time you play... up to a certain point, of course, and only if you log out in the right spot (or only if you're a subscriber).

      But after a while, you get so inured to bonus experience that playing without any of it banked starts to feel like playing at a huge disadvantage. Double exp becomes the new normal, and old normal feels slow. I can't stand feeling like I'm taking the sucker's bet to play now at half the speed rather than wait. And that always makes me create and turn to a stable of alts to maximize my rested exp, which means I'm metagaming and playing characters I don't really want to be playing. Never mind the annoyance of always having to find a tavern or cantina to log out in, which is a breeze in some games and rather a pain in others!

      So what about you? Do you like bonus experience systems?

      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: Do you like bonus experience systems? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Betawatch: May 26 - June 1, 2012

        Posted: 01 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT

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        Betawatch
        This week in Betawatch we'd like to welcome RIFT's first expansion, Storm Legion, to the hallowed halls of the alpha list! From minute one following the announcement, we in the Massively offices were dying to get a piece of that preview -- and with any luck, we all will this summer.

        Otherwise, it was a quiet week save for the onset of World of Warplanes' and Renaissance Heroes' closed beta testing. You did grab a Renaissance Heroes beta key from us, right?

        Jump on past the break to see the full list of what's still in testing!

        Continue reading Betawatch: May 26 - June 1, 2012

        MassivelyBetawatch: May 26 - June 1, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          EVE Alliance Tournament X details posted

          Posted: 01 Jun 2012 06:00 PM PDT

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          EVE Alliance Tournament X details posted
          EVE Online's Alliance Tournament X is just around the corner. In anticipation of the kickoff, the game's official blog has been updated with some more information about the tournament. The blog has a lengthy schedule laid out that covers everything from the qualifying rounds beginning on the 30th of June to the finals on July 22nd.

          The blog's also chock-full of information about streaming and commentary. Own3d will be carrying the Alliance Tournament live streams. Additionally, replays of previous tournaments will be available in the weeks leading up to the tournament. Unlike in previous years when qualifying rounds weren't streamed, every match will be available with livestreaming. Although an exhaustive list of commentators wasn't provided, the first two weekends of qualifying rounds will be commentated by kil2, Raivi, Michael Bolton III, Zastrow, and Lazarus Telraven.

          The most important part of the post? Prizes. The Caldari State has created two ships, based on the Osprey and Merlin hulls, as prizes:
          The Osprey hull is Etana. The name is drawn from the same branch of mythology as the Gallente Ishtar and the AT8 Utu, and has a nice connotation with some ancient Caldari-Gallente history involving Caldari Prime. This variant, which is the first prize, is a pioneering logistics ship with the added capacity to fit a covert ops cloak along with some very powerful skill bonuses.

          The Merlin hull is Cambion. The name comes from a half-demonic entity which ties in nicely in with the description of a crazy, fiery rocket brawler with mad overheating bonuses plus it's believed that the Merlin of wizard fame was either a cambion or descended from one.
          Hit up the blog post for the full schedules and replay details.

          MassivelyEVE Alliance Tournament X details posted originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          MMObility: MUDing on the go and a new Android castle-builder

          Posted: 01 Jun 2012 05:00 PM PDT

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          Lords and Knights banner
          In this week's column, I wanted to give you a few mobile options to fill your time. The mobile market is anything but devoid of content or new games to explore. In fact, the problem is often finding games or apps of quality, something worth passing along in one of my columns. Often I search out different games or apps and vet them a bit, and sometimes I just grab the first thing that I find.

          This week I have two great apps for those who play MUDs, and one game that, honestly, I have seen many times before and often in ways that were better designed. But I'll still give them all some time on my Android phone to see just how they pan out in the long run. My patience might grow a bit thin, though. That's another benefit of the mobile market: if you're not satisfied with a new game or app you find, there are literally thousands more to choose from. It's a cut-throat world of competition.

          Continue reading MMObility: MUDing on the go and a new Android castle-builder

          MassivelyMMObility: MUDing on the go and a new Android castle-builder originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Storyboard: On roleplaying projects

            Posted: 01 Jun 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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            Just gotta Javik.
            Roleplaying projects are great. They're good for avoiding burnout, good for stretching your roleplaying muscles, and good for giving you reason to explore something you'd otherwise ignore. Not every project works out all that well, but I'm a big fan of the idea, and I'd encourage everyone who likes to roleplay to try a major project.

            The problem is that roleplaying projects are a lot of extra work and sometimes don't produce a lot of worthwhile results. Restrictions can breed creativity, sure, but sometimes they're just limiting. Roleplaying a character who never moves, for instance, is certainly possible but probably not a lot of fun, unless you really like sitting in a chair in-game while you sit in a chair in real life.

            So while I'm not kicking off my own little project just yet (it would take time away from my latest round in Choose My Adventure, and that would be terrible), I thought it'd be a good idea to look at how to create and work within a project so that the experience is a fun break rather than an oppressive fun-sucking nightmare. Hopefully, even if it doesn't work out, you can at least have some fun with the concept.

            Continue reading Storyboard: On roleplaying projects

            MassivelyStoryboard: On roleplaying projects originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Runes of Magic: Chapter V to bring new lands and high-level instance

              Posted: 01 Jun 2012 03:30 PM PDT

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              Runes Of Magic image
              In just under two weeks, Runes of Magic players will be able to enjoy the fifth chapter of the free-to-play fantasy MMORPG. Last week we told you about the new race in Chapter V, the Shadowforge Dwarves. Today Frogster unveiled a new region along with a new high-level instance. Fires of Shadowforge also introduces the Warlock and Champion classes.

              In the west of the new continent of Kolydia, the Ancient Kingdom of Rorazan opens up to adventurers. This hostile and unforgiving realm was destroyed by firestorms and is now inhabited only by mechanical golems, fire elementals, and spirits. Adventurers can also traverse the war-torn region of Chrysalia.

              Dungeon-goers can experience Aeternal Circle, a new high-level instance with two different difficulty settings. Just be sure to take a sharp mind as well as a sharp sword along; the only way to advance to the next area after defeating each boss is to solve a puzzle.

              [Source: Frogster press release]

              MassivelyRunes of Magic: Chapter V to bring new lands and high-level instance originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Order & Chaos celebrates its first anniversary

                Posted: 01 Jun 2012 03:00 PM PDT

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                Order & Chaos celebrates its first anniversary
                Gameloft's hit mobile MMO, Order & Chaos: Online, has reached its one-year anniversary, and the studio is breaking out the goods to celebrate. To spread the joy, Gameloft is giving three months of game time, 25 runes, and a free gift box to all players.

                There's plenty to do inside the game as well, as the anniversary update adds quests, pets, fireworks, mini-games, and a lottery to enjoy. Order & Chaos recently received an upgrade that allows it to be played over 3G as well as wifi and upgraded its graphics for the retina display on the most recent iPad.

                The team also put together an infographic to show off the game's impressive numbers. According to the chart, over three million characters have been created, 831 million creatures have been slain, 35,500 guilds have been created, and 14 million messages have been sent.

                MassivelyOrder & Chaos celebrates its first anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                CJ announces new Sin Streets online FPS

                Posted: 01 Jun 2012 02:30 PM PDT

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                Sin Streets trailer
                We're not sure whether CJ E&M's new online FPS title is an MMO or not, but the maker of Uncharted Waters has an interesting game on its hands regardless of classification. Sin Streets is billed as an "urban online FPS" in the company's new press release, and we've found a trailer that riffs on noirish comic-style vignettes that you can see after the cut.

                We'll also be getting some face time with CJ at next week's E3, so look for more info on Sin Streets in a few days.

                Continue reading CJ announces new Sin Streets online FPS

                MassivelyCJ announces new Sin Streets online FPS originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Turbine fields 33 Lord of the Rings Online questions

                Posted: 01 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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                Turbine fields 33 Lord of the Rings Online Q&As
                If you could ask a dev team anything about your favorite MMO, what would it be? Well, Turbine invited its Lord of the Rings Online players to do just that, and today the studio posted 33 answers to the sometimes-serious, sometimes-silly queries that players posed.

                Through this community Q&A, we learned that the team is working on a way to disable experience gain, has put additional hobbies on hold, has discussed and mostly dismissed multi-attachment mail, and is considering how dynamic events might work in the game.

                So do the devs play the game they make? Sapience says they do: "I think you'd be surprised at how many people at Turbine play LotRO on a regular basis." There are also a lot of interesting tidbits in this Q&A regarding the decisions behind prioritizing features, expanding into certain regions, and how the teams work in tandem to produce content.

                Finally, Sapience said that players should be seeing pre-order information for Riders of Rohan "Incredisoon[TM]" and that there will probably be ways to attain the game's soundtrack in the future.

                MassivelyTurbine fields 33 Lord of the Rings Online questions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Guild Wars 2 dev shows off company pride with dragon tattoo

                Posted: 01 Jun 2012 01:30 PM PDT

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                Anet employee gets a GW2 tattoo
                To show his love for Guild Wars 2, ArenaNet content programmer Eric Rane devoted a large section of skin to the game's dragon logo. The eight-hour labor of love is splayed across Rane's torso, where it will proudly proclaim his devotion whenever he's wandering shirtless around Seattle.

                Aside from being an extremely cool piece of art, the logo symbolizes Rane's time and accomplishments at ArenaNet. When talking about his motivation for getting the tattoo, Rane said, "ArenaNet is without a doubt the best video game company I have ever worked for." He went on to talk about his pride in his company and co-workers. As a programmer, he's worked on the event system, boss monsters, and character creation that so many people have been enjoying in the beta events.

                Rane didn't even wait for the game to ship before dedicating a sizable chuck of flesh to it, so take a moment to consider that the next time you're tempted to proclaim yourself a hardcore fan.

                MassivelyGuild Wars 2 dev shows off company pride with dragon tattoo originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Funcom kicks off new Secret World ARG with strange video

                Posted: 01 Jun 2012 01:00 PM PDT

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                Funcom kicks off new Secret World ARG with strange video
                Everybody loves an Alice in Wonderland metaphor, and Funcom is no exception. The studio kicked off a new alternate reality game for its upcoming MMO, The Secret World, and it's littered with White Rabbit references.

                The game starts with a very short video in which a woman on a cell phone talks about a six-year-old case. This is followed up with the instructions to go to Funcom's website, click on the background, and type in "33" to start the ARG. Just... be prepared for anything if you do. We don't want to spoil it, so we'll leave it at that and encourage you to watch the video after the jump.

                [Thanks to Kaitlyn for the tip!]

                Continue reading Funcom kicks off new Secret World ARG with strange video

                MassivelyFuncom kicks off new Secret World ARG with strange video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                SOE takes Wizardry Online under its wing

                Posted: 01 Jun 2012 12:45 PM PDT

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                SOE takes Wizardry Online under its wing
                Sony Online Entertainment published its full line-up for E3, and it contained one whopper of a surprise. According to the press release, SOE is now publishing Wizardry Online, the hardcore MMO that we first saw a year ago at the expo.

                The reveal of Wizardry Online is one of two new titles that SOE's bringing to E3 (the other being Bullet Run). Attendees will be able to get hands-on time with the demo on the show floor.

                Wizardry Online is being developed by Gamepot and is a continuation of the classic RPG series Wizardry. The MMO is notable for its decidedly tough-as-nails approach, featuring permadeath, non-instanced dungeons, player killing, and friendly fire.

                [Source: SOE press release]

                MassivelySOE takes Wizardry Online under its wing originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Transformers Universe to leave Earth (someday)

                  Posted: 01 Jun 2012 12:30 PM PDT

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                  Transformers Universe to leave Earth someday
                  We're getting some solid information about Jagex's upcoming Transformers Universe from the recent London MCM Expo. The team took to the stage to talk about the title, revealing quite a few new details -- including the revelation that the game won't be confined to just Earth.

                  The team is making Transformers Universe with the intention to keep the game going for at least 10 years; it has latched onto the "Universe" moniker to indicate it will eventually expand the game from our terrestrial ball to the stars (including Cybertron).

                  Transformers Universe will use Energon as the game's currency, and while the team will use microtransactions to fund this free-to-play title, the exact model has not been finalized. Players will be able to pick between male and female characters and will use their alternate (non-robotic) modes for more than just transportation. At the game launch, players will be able to transform only into vehicles, but Jagex says that there are plans in the works for other forms such as animals.

                  [Thanks to Austin for the tip!]

                  MassivelyTransformers Universe to leave Earth (someday) originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  SOE shows off PlanetSide 2 fem-troopers

                  Posted: 01 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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                  PlanetSide 2 - Terran Republic girl
                  Who says PlanetSide 2 is going to be a dude fest? OK, it might be, but at least it'll have some nifty female avatar options. Sony Online Entertainment is also thumbing its nose at game industry tradition when it comes to clothing women in skimpy combat attire.

                  The company's latest press release features renders and screenshots of fem-troopers in full battle gear. There's neither a bare belly nor a shapely thigh in sight, just functional equipment designed to keep avatars alive rather than stimulate opponents. Check out our PS2 gallery below for examples from all three factions.

                  [Source: SOE press release]

                  Gallery: PlanetSide 2

                  MassivelySOE shows off PlanetSide 2 fem-troopers originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    End of Nations E3 trailer shows off more gameplay

                    Posted: 01 Jun 2012 11:30 AM PDT

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                    End of Nations E3 trailer shows off more gameplay
                    As we gear up for E3 next week, we're being treated to lots of goodies to get us excited for what will certainly be a wealth of news. Trion is heading that charge today, not only with news of a RIFT expansion and the Defiance video we showed you earlier but also with a brand-new video showcasing the upcoming MMORTS End of Nations.

                    The trailer shows gameplay between the Liberation Front and the Shadow Revolution in a game-show-death-match-style that ends with some interesting commentary on nuclear weapons.

                    You can check the video out for yourself after the cut below, and watch for our E3 interview with Trion on all of its current and upcoming games next week.

                    Continue reading End of Nations E3 trailer shows off more gameplay

                    MassivelyEnd of Nations E3 trailer shows off more gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      Ragnarok Online celebrates its ninth anniversary in style

                      Posted: 01 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT

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                      Ragnarok Online celebrates its 9th anniversary in style
                      Celebrating the anniversary of Ragnarok Online isn't a new thing -- the team at Gravity Interactive has been doing it every year -- but to help ring in the MMO's ninth anniversary, the publisher is throwing what it calls "one of the biggest in-game celebrations to date for RO veterans!"

                      The theme this year is "Where the Old Meets the New," thrown in celebration of the defeat of the Demon Satan Morroc and the discovery of the New World.

                      Sound like fun to you? Then head over to the game's main site to sign up or visit the game's Facebook page to join the community.

                      [Source: Gravity Interactive press release]

                      MassivelyRagnarok Online celebrates its ninth anniversary in style originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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