MMO Updates |
- A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Praetoria's invasion in review
- Elsword update offers new continent, dungeons
- Choose My Adventure: The first week of TERA
- City of Steam dev diary embraces Goblins
- Embers of Caerus death system revealed in video blog
- The Daily Grind: Who is your main character?
- Diablo III pulls trigger on NA real-money auction house
- Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Cathar
- TERA patch opens up GvG on PvE servers and improves daily quests
- Lord of the Rings Online provides guide to legendary items
- City of Heroes unveils fan-created Retro Sci-fi costume set
- Flameseeker Chronicles: Professions are like onions
- Habbo accused of harboring predators, CEO fights back
- Steve Danuser weighs in on the 38 Studios debacle
- Leveling to 80 through pure crafting possible in Guild Wars 2
- The Soapbox: This fantasy is far from fantastic
- Massively Speaking Episode 204: Power creep
| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Praetoria's invasion in review Posted: 13 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Culture, Events, in-game, Expansions, Lore, Endgame, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter  Let's face it: This whole arc has been something new for City of Heroes, an attempt to replicate the huge multi-comic crossovers that are really fun until they make up all the comics ever. You know, like what happened to Marvel comics from the late '90s until the early '00s or what's currently happening at DC. And just like those big crossovers, this one had some big flashes of brilliance and some moments that seemed like a letdown. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Praetoria's invasion in review
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| Elsword update offers new continent, dungeons Posted: 13 Jun 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play  Players may explore two new dungeons, fight challenging end bosses, and work towards a new level cap as well as several new titles in the game's Rulensia and Fluone areas. The new locales are designed for players of level 45 or above, and Kill3rCombo says that players can even battle their way through underwater gameplay courtesy of the Sunken Resiam dungeon. Elsword offers five customizable characters, evolutionary fighting skills and job classes, and plenty of action-packed combo abilities. Check out the official site for more details. [Source: Kill3rCombo press release]
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| Choose My Adventure: The first week of TERA Posted: 13 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Polls, Classes, Game mechanics, Opinion, Choose My Adventure, TERA  This intrigued me because this meant that the two tanks classes were first in everyone's mind. And I knew enough about the game from external research to know that these two classes are as different as can be, not to mention that the two races winning the poll are probably the two races most noted for the controversies mentioned in the first column. So I had an idea. If I couldn't get a clear picture of the game from just one selection, I'd get it from two. And thus were Higiri and Rielene created on Celestial Hills, an Elin Lancer and a Castanic Warrior, the top two results. And they really couldn't be more different. Continue reading Choose My Adventure: The first week of TERA
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| City of Steam dev diary embraces Goblins Posted: 13 Jun 2012 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Races, Dev Diaries, City of Steam  As one of the nine playable races in this upcoming game, Goblins are attempting to make their way in the civilized world, but suffer from discrimination by those who hate all greenskin races. They are, however, far more refined and savvy than their Orc relatives, and have garnered a positive reputation for being able to repair almost anything. Goblins have large families, are almost fatally curious about the world, and can eat almost anything. Goblins are best wielded as either Arcanists or Gunners, and have the manic energy to back either of those professions. Because their families are so important, the devs have put a large emphasis on family in the race's questline. Players will begin their experience as Goblins by traveling to the city to help their recently widowed uncle in a variety of tasks.
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| Embers of Caerus death system revealed in video blog Posted: 13 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, New titles, News items, Sandbox  Death in EoC is actually a three-stage process: First, incapacitation (health bar drops to 0); second, a restricted state with its own health bar (10% of your main health pool); and third, body destruction (no resurrection, only respawn). Your body can also be looted at each stage of death. If your body is destroyed, you will drop gear which can be picked up for up short time or become buried in the world. Embers of Caerus is also implementing two types of stat penalties upon death, one temporary and the other permanent (along with a system to counter the permanent loss). Dave continues on to discuss the karma system, body mutilation, and the chance of repentance. With so much important information, don't miss the video after the break. [Thanks to all who sent in the tip!] Continue reading Embers of Caerus death system revealed in video blog
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| The Daily Grind: Who is your main character? Posted: 13 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  No, no, you misunderstand me. I'm not asking what your main character is. I don't want to hear that he, she, or it is some level 59 Froggington Bladespitter with a minor in Interpretive Dance. That's what the character is. I'm asking who your main character is. My main character in Lord of the Rings Online grew up on the outskirts of the Shire in Bree, having more in common with the introspective Hobbits than the brash Men around her. Her armor and sword were bequeathed to her by her Uncle Malcolm, who was a drunken failure of a guard but a kind enough soul otherwise. She is a cheerful if sardonic adventurer who doesn't have anything better to do than to run the errands of others -- and make a profit on it. While the weight of the world presses on the shoulders of those she meets, she feels carefree knowing that what will happen, will happen. So she does what is right (mostly) but avoids being saddled with a legacy. And, oh, she likes roast rabbit but detests fish. Who is your main character?  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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| Diablo III pulls trigger on NA real-money auction house Posted: 12 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Economy, Diablo III  Unlike the traditional in-game auction house, the real-money variant deals in actual currency (such as USD). Players can sell their hard-won goods for cash, which can then be either spent on the auction house, sent to their own personal PayPal accounts, or converted to Battle.net Balance credit. The real-money auction house requires additional setup if the players have not attached a PayPal or authenticator to the account. Blizzard does take its cut, and business must be good: There are reports of items going for over $200 already.
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| Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Cathar Posted: 12 Jun 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Lore, Opinion, Races, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon  Personally, I have yet to create a Jedi Knight character (yeah, I know, call me what you will), so I think the Cathar look to be a good species for that class. However, given the history and overall disposition of the Cathar species, I think it could easily fall into any class story. Maybe that is why it was chosen as the next species over the aforementioned Nautolans and Togrutas. As with any species I play, I like to learn as much about it as I can. Thankfully, the Cathar are a pretty easy species for gathering this information, not that Wookieepedia is a great source on the topic. So what are Cathar all about? Where do they come from? We'll find out in this week's Holocron Files. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Cathar
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| TERA patch opens up GvG on PvE servers and improves daily quests Posted: 12 Jun 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, News items, Roleplaying, TERA  Not up for the PvP road? That's all right -- there are a lot of other little additions in this patch. Daily quests for Hands of Velika have undergone some revisions, with slightly higher numbers required to clear but a greater individual reward. High-end BAMs now also drop Tier 13 crafting materials, with named monsters having a higher chance at drops. The patch also adds the ability to type custom emotes and several bug fixes, both of which should improve the quality of play in TERA.
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| Lord of the Rings Online provides guide to legendary items Posted: 12 Jun 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, News items, Free-to-play, Guides  Lord of the Rings Online's legendary item system is not a terribly simple one, and Turbine apparently knows it. The studio has released a new guide called Legendary Items 101. As the name would imply, the guide is more or less a crash course on legendary items, but for those who are just now delving into the depths of the legendary item system's nuances, it could certainly be useful. The guide covers the entire process, beginning with the acquisition of a player's first legendary item in Volume II, Book 1 of the epic questline. It moves on to cover more advanced topics such as the identification, comparison, and slotting of legendary items. Legacies are detailed, as is the method of leveling up legendary items. If you're in the market for a quick-and-simple introduction to Middle-earth's legendary items, check out the full guide on the LotRO official site.
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| City of Heroes unveils fan-created Retro Sci-fi costume set Posted: 12 Jun 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Interviews, News items, Free-to-play  City of Heroes players, we hope you're ready for a flashback because the game's new Retro Sci-fi costume pieces are full of old-school goodness right out of yesteryear's sci-fi classics. Ray-guns, jetpacks, and shiny suits with rings on them are all present in the new costume pieces that were initially conceived with fan input at last year's City of Heroes fan summit. The folks at PC Gamer had the chance to sit down with Paragon Studios' Eric Johnsen to talk a bit about the new additions. Johnsen talks briefly about the creation of the costume set's conception at the fan summit and the process of taking those ideas and turning them into full, in-game costume pieces. If you want to know anything about the design process of the Retro Sci-fi set or about the most recent fan-designed costume set and its release, head on over to the full article and give it a read.
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| Flameseeker Chronicles: Professions are like onions Posted: 12 Jun 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Classes, Game mechanics, Professions, Opinion, Flameseeker Chronicles  Professions have layers. The farther you progress with a given character, the more layers get added and the more you can do to specialize and fine-tune your style of play. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Professions are like onions
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| Habbo accused of harboring predators, CEO fights back Posted: 12 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, Legal, Virtual worlds, Kids, Miscellaneous  Habbo (formerly Habbo Hotel) is shedding investors with the news; Habbo's parent company Sulake lost its second largest shareholder, Balderton Capital. The former shareholder released a statement saying, "We were given some information a week ago that profoundly shocked us. We had to ask ourselves whether we were comfortable being investors in a business where children were not being adequately protected." Habbo CEO Paul LaFontaine fought back against the accusations by saying that Habbo is "one of the safest online communities" and has a large team of moderators that tracks the millions of messages sent between the network's users "To keep users safe, we filter content and block inappropriate users," LaFontaine said. "We work with child safety organisations and local police forces to address inappropriate behaviour. Habbo's leading safety systems were recognised as making the service one of the safest social networks in a 2011 European Commission report."
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| Steve Danuser weighs in on the 38 Studios debacle Posted: 12 Jun 2012 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous  It's been one hell of a month for the folks at the now-bankrupt 38 Studios, but so far we've heard precious little from anyone directly involved with the Project Copernicus developer. Today, 38 Studios' former Creative Director, Steve Danuser, has broken that silence with a post about the matter on his personal blog. The post doesn't really do much to shed any light on the events that led to the studio's fall, but it does provide one thing that has been lacking: A look at the people affected by the debacle. Danuser takes the time to talk about the rollercoaster of emotions that he and other 38 Studios employees have been riding for the better part of the last month, stating that "the only people who really understand are the ones who make up this now fractured fraternity that was once a great team." It really is a very personal read, but it adds a fresh, human perspective to a story that has, until now, been addressed only from the angles of finance and industry. To read it all for yourself, head on over to Danuser's blog. Oh, and if you're the emotional sort, it may help to have some tissues handy.
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| Leveling to 80 through pure crafting possible in Guild Wars 2 Posted: 12 Jun 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, News items, Guild Wars 2, Crafting  Combat has long been the focal point of most MMOs' progression systems, and in most games it's borderline impossible to get to max level without spilling some blood. Pacifistic Guild Wars 2 fans seem to be in luck, however, as ArenaNet designer Linsey Murdock has revealed on the forums that, with some hard work and perseverance, players will be able to level all the way to level 80 by doing nothing but crafting. According to Murdock's post (viewable only if you have access to GW2's beta forums), it works something like this: Leveling a single crafting profession to level 400 will grant enough XP to gain 10 character levels. As a result, by maxing out all eight crafting professions, a player can go all the way to the level cap without ever laying hand on a weapon. A few players on the forums have expressed concern that this will lead to a "pay-to-win" style of play, since players can pay money for gems, exchange those gems for gold, and then use that gold to buy crafting materials for a (relatively) quick level boost. Others point out that while this method may increase a character's leveling speed, it offers no statistical benefit and therefore is not pay-to-win in the truest sense of the word. So what do y'all think, kind readers? Is this treading dangerous pay-to-win territory or not? Give us your tuppence in the comments.
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| The Soapbox: This fantasy is far from fantastic Posted: 12 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Opinion, The Soapbox  "More innovation!" is the common rallying cry of the disgruntled MMO player. Push forward the genre, build awe-inspiring giant statues instead of sixth grade art projects, do that one magic thing that nobody can agree on to make this genre as fresh and great and interesting as it was. You know, as it was when you first got into these games, that is. For all of the "more innovation!" speeches that I've seen, I never see the one that touches on the most irksome areas of stagnation in the industry, and that is how incredibly lame most MMO fantasy worlds are. Cut 'n' paste, mix and match elements between any two fantasy MMOs, and I guarantee you that nobody would really notice. The truth is that for all their desire to be seen as unique and special, most of these games feature a world carbon copied from each other with minor Mad Lib deviations. Case in point: Have you ever realized just how many of these MMO worlds share almost the same name? Start with T, usually end with A, there you go. Telara. Telon. Tyria. Atreia. Taborea. It doesn't stop there, but it really should. MMO designers need to realize that fantasy is more than just D&D and Tolkien derivations and explore the unlimited scope of what the genre could be. Continue reading The Soapbox: This fantasy is far from fantastic
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| Massively Speaking Episode 204: Power creep Posted: 12 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Podcasts, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO industry, News items, Guild Wars 2, Massively Meta, Massively Event Coverage, Massively Speaking, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, Miscellaneous, ArcheAge, PlanetSide 2, Neverwinter, The Elder Scrolls Online  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. [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 204: Power creep
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