MMO Updates |
- Ask Massively: Shopping for new computers edition
- The Guild Counsel: Important graduation advice for gamers
- Habbo chat disabled as another investor pulls out
- Origins of Malu shows off combat and house-building in video interview
- Trion CEO on console games, sequels, and the future
- Law enforcement issues subpoenas over 38 Studios deal
- Radiated Wasteland mutates into an MMO
- The Daily Grind: Do you try games that fall outside your comfort zone?
- EverQuest II shares planned updates and changes for June
- MMO Family: Roblox first impressions
- Ultima Online taps Armstrong for producer position
- Free for All: How MUDs can stay relevant in today's 3-D world
- Ryan Shwayder revives MMO lessons series
- Star Wars: The Old Republic unleashes second wave of server transfers
- WildStar shows off footage from friends and family testing
- EVE Online bringing changes to war with the first Inferno patch
- Why I Play: EverQuest II
- Universal Monsters Online is a thing
- TERA adds free seven-day trials
- Enter at Your Own Rift: How will Storm Legion change the face of RIFT?
- Red 5 unveils part one of Firefall manga
- Marvel Heroes whips up Avengers movie costumes
- Trion Worlds licenses CloakWorks cloth simulation tech
- Alleged 38 Studios spouse outlines family's financial struggles after company's closure
- Turbine takes you behind the scenes on LotRO's live-action trailer
| Ask Massively: Shopping for new computers edition Posted: 14 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Humor, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous  Of course, I'm writing this installment of Ask Massively on a computer, so clearly I'm capable of using such a device for important duties. Important duties like explaining why Final Fantasy XIV isn't offering players a free trial and why our comment system is experiencing a truly humbling bug. If you've got a question for a future installment, leave it in the comments below or mail it along to ask@massively.com. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity. Continue reading Ask Massively: Shopping for new computers edition
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| The Guild Counsel: Important graduation advice for gamers Posted: 14 Jun 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Guilds, MMO industry, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous  In this week's Guild Counsel, let's look back at a few famous graduation speeches to see how some sage advice on entering the "real world" offers valuable lessons for our time in the virtual ones. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Important graduation advice for gamers
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| Habbo chat disabled as another investor pulls out Posted: 14 Jun 2012 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Legal, Virtual worlds, Kids, Miscellaneous  Today, Gamasutra reports that 3i, a private equity group which owns 16 percent of Habbo parent firm Sulake, is pulling out. Previously, Sulake shareholder Balderton Capital returned its stake, while retailers Tesco and WH Smith removed Habbo gift cards from their websites. Sulake CEO Paul LaFontaine subsequently announced that all chat functionality on the Habbo website has been disabled pending the results of a potentially lengthy internal investigation.
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| Origins of Malu shows off combat and house-building in video interview Posted: 14 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, New titles, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox, Crafting  Although some of the footage will look familiar from our exclusive E3 interview, there are added combat scenes and a brief demonstration of housing construction. Jason adds a few details about the twitch-based combat such as the ability to dodge and the charging feature for skills. At 3:28 viewers get their first glimpse of the beginnings of creating unique personal structures in game; creative types are going to have a hey-day with the open functionality of construction where you build literally from the ground up. Sounds promising, no? Go ahead and get a gander at the new footage after the break and be sure to read our interview for more details. [Source: Burning Dog Media press release] Continue reading Origins of Malu shows off combat and house-building in video interview
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| Trion CEO on console games, sequels, and the future Posted: 14 Jun 2012 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous  It's no secret that Trion has big plans for its future, and we don't just mean its impressive Storm Legion sequel for RIFT. Gamasutra talked to Trion CEO Lars Buttler at last week's E3, and what emerged from the discussion is a portrait of a firm "at the height of our art form, but doing new things."One of those new things is partnering with Crytek to publish its new Warface shooter. Another is its previously announced Red Door initiative. Interestingly, and despite developing Defiance for both PC and console platforms, Buttler perceives the console market as a sinking ship. The company "also see[s] that the console market is going down," he tells Gamasutra. "I think the writing is on the wall and the best developers will want to make the step sooner."
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| Law enforcement issues subpoenas over 38 Studios deal Posted: 14 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, Legal, Miscellaneous  Currently, the RI state police, the state attorney general's office, the FBI, and the US attorney's office are jointly looking into the situation. Police are investigating the specifics of the deals in an attempt to figure out what exactly happened. The subpoenas requested records of the financial contracts and loans. Both the RIEDC's $75M in taxpayer bonds and Bank Rhode Island's $8.5M loan are unlikely to be repaid following the studio's bankruptcy.
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| Radiated Wasteland mutates into an MMO Posted: 14 Jun 2012 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Browser, Post-Apocalyptic  According to the game's backstory, the world has gone up in a cloud of nuclear smoke, and the only survivors have to fight mutants while struggling to survive through any means necessary. Movements, action, and combat will take place in a turn-based system, and players will be able to customize their character with gear, skills, and perks. Pixel Pandemic describes Radiated Wasteland's world as "an ever-evolving organic virtual world consisting of thousands of tiles." The studio says that the game will offer co-op play in such a way that Facebook has yet to attain. [Source: Pixel Pandemic press release]
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| The Daily Grind: Do you try games that fall outside your comfort zone? Posted: 14 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind, PlanetSide 2, Sandbox  Without getting into what separates GW2 and PS2 from their respective baselines, the larger question here is what does it take for games to cross the threshold that separates "successful" from "mega-hit cultural phenomenon." There are a lot of great games out there, but only a tiny percentage manage to transcend their genre trappings and attract people who don't normally play in that particular sandbox. What say you, Massively readers? Do you try games that fall outside your comfort zone, and if so, what does it take to hook you?  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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| EverQuest II shares planned updates and changes for June Posted: 14 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Game mechanics, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons  One bit of news that many players have been anticipating is the release of the ability to play your own character in the dungeon maker instead of slipping into the skin of other creatures; this feature will open on the test server in the next week or so. Another change already on the test server is the addition of icons to NPC names that flag them as quest updates. Some zones will also get some loving: The two starting zones of Darklight Woods and Halas will receive a new coat of polish, from improved ambiance to new armor sets. More details about the much anticipated Qeynos revamp were also offered; Unlike Freeport's revamp, Qeynos will split into two separate zones. To the disappointment of many players, the neighborhoods will disappear except as quest instances. There will also be improvements made to PvP and the battlegrounds and updates to the core technology. For further details, check out the official announcement.
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| MMO Family: Roblox first impressions Posted: 13 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Massively Hands-on, First Impressions, MMO Family, Family, Miscellaneous, Sandbox  But what exactly is Roblox? It's been compared to LEGO and Minecraft, but there's actually a lot more to it than that. In this week's MMO Family, we'll dive into the game for some first impressions and explore why everyone, both young and old, should check it out! Continue reading MMO Family: Roblox first impressions
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| Ultima Online taps Armstrong for producer position Posted: 13 Jun 2012 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Ultima Online, Sandbox  The newest commander and chief is Bonnie "Mesanna" Armstrong. The UO website says that her "drive, dedication and knowledge of UO, together with her motivation to kill players (in-game) are well known in the office and among players." Armstrong hasn't revealed her plans for the game just yet, but the post says to expect news on that front in the near future.
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| Free for All: How MUDs can stay relevant in today's 3-D world Posted: 13 Jun 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business models, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, Free for All, Miscellaneous  I wanted to take a look at how many of these MUDs could keep themselves in the game. It's not as though they need the help; many of them have been steadily chugging along for a decade or more. What I would like to see is many of them add more players, add to their developer teams, and actually stick around for 10 more years. Is it possible? I think so. Continue reading Free for All: How MUDs can stay relevant in today's 3-D world
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| Ryan Shwayder revives MMO lessons series Posted: 13 Jun 2012 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Game mechanics, MMO industry, Miscellaneous  His 37th lesson is to create memorable moments. "It is impossible to make every adventure in your game memorable, exciting, and unique," Shwayder writes. "But you can create incredible moments for your players and purposefully distribute them throughout the experience so players experience highs as they play the game." Shwayder also defends kill quests but says that they usually need context or a twist to keep them fresh and fun: "Kill quests get a bad rap, but there's nothing inherently wrong with them."
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| Star Wars: The Old Republic unleashes second wave of server transfers Posted: 13 Jun 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic  Star Wars: The Old Republic's server merges are continuing at a steady pace, and today BioWare has sent another round of servers up to bat. If you've been waiting patiently for your chance to hop to a more populated server, now's your opportunity. The sheer number of origin servers now available to players is a bit staggering, so we won't dare try to list them all here, but if you're a SWTOR player, you should definitely check out the full list. If your server is eligible for transfer (and you haven't gotten your account banned), then you can take any characters from that server (that aren't guild leaders) and slap 'em on a transdimensional ship to a galaxy almost-but-not-entirely like your old one. For the full details, plus a handy and helpful transfer FAQ, check out the SWTOR official transfer page. Oh, and while you're at it, check out the newly released group finder guide, so you'll know what to do with all of these new people around.
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| WildStar shows off footage from friends and family testing Posted: 13 Jun 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, WildStar  One of the bigger elements being shown off is the evolving action mechanics of the game. The video explains how the more freeform targeting system is working and how players can interact with the environment to change up the battlefield. The Scientist and Settler paths are also displayed in working order, adding on to the previously seen Soldier and Explorer paths. And there are new areas, new monsters, and hints of more footage to come. So by all means, jump on past the break and watch the game strut its stuff for a while. Continue reading WildStar shows off footage from friends and family testing
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| EVE Online bringing changes to war with the first Inferno patch Posted: 13 Jun 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, News items  The biggest change is that all ally contracts are set to a two-week timer with no option for automatic renewal. An ally can be re-signed immediately after the initial contract expires, but hiring a larger number of allies will also sport a cost, with that price getting higher and higher as you hire more allies. Allies will also be locked out of participation in mutual wars to help ensure fairness on both sides. Dedicated warmongers may wish to take a look at the full list of upcoming changes to plot out the next few moves in their private little wars.
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| Posted: 13 Jun 2012 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Opinion, Free-to-play, Why I Play  I still do. Hate the graphics, that is. If someone was to award MMOs for Most Blandly Generic, Plasticy Models Straight from the Uncanny Valley, EverQuest II would be a shoo-in. Yet the years wore down my mostly semantic objections to giving EverQuest II a go, and after a few false starts, I spent a few wonderful months in the game last year after it went free-to-play. While I couldn't sustain interest in this on top of all of the other titles I was playing, I'd heartily recommend EQII to anyone complaining about tapped-out content in other MMOs. EQII is the Super Walmart of MMO features and content, far eclipsing most other competitors. Here is why I played and why you might want to, too. Continue reading Why I Play: EverQuest II
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| Universal Monsters Online is a thing Posted: 13 Jun 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: New titles, News items, Free-to-play, MOBA  MOBAs seem to be the hot new thing, with games like the indie SmashMuck Champions following in the footsteps of heavy-hitters such as League of Legends and Dota 2. Now we can add another one to the list, as Bigpoint Games has announced an in-development MOBA centered around some unlikely champions: classic Universal Studios movie monsters. That's right: In the upcoming Universal Monsters Online, players will be able to go head-to-head with one another as iconic movie monsters, including Dracula, the Wolf-Man, Frankenstein's monster (and his bride), and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Gameplay details are scarce, but if you happen to be in the game's target demographic of classic-horror-movie-buff-slash-MOBA-gamer, head on over to the game's official site and have a gander.
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| TERA adds free seven-day trials Posted: 13 Jun 2012 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, TERA, Promotions  Starting today, TERA now has two types of free ways for potential players to experience the game. As we've already reported, the first is the instant-streaming demo with pre-set characters. This second one is a proper trial: Players will get seven days to create their own characters and enjoy the world as much as they want during that time. There is a limit of eight characters on a single server for the trial, and without a subscription, players will be limited to a level 23 cap. En Masse is confident that trial players will convert to a subscription if given that one-week hit of the sweet life. The studio says that players are currently averaging four-and-a-half hours of game time per day. [Source: En Masse press release]
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| Enter at Your Own Rift: How will Storm Legion change the face of RIFT? Posted: 13 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, RIFT, Enter at Your Own Rift  Two weeks ago, RIFT muscled back into the spotlight with the announcement of its first-ever expansion, Storm Legion. I don't know if any of you felt like this when you heard it, but I was surprised, considering just how much work Trion Worlds spends on updates. When did they devs have time to squeeze in work on a full-blown expansion as well? But it's no myth. Storm Legion is coming this fall, and it's destined to change the face of RIFT as we know it. The world's about to triple in size, and the team is building on the lessons learned in the first year or so of this MMO's lifespan. Will it bolster RIFT against the current and coming competition? Do we need two more continents? And what, pray tell, are those four new souls? Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: How will Storm Legion change the face of RIFT?
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| Red 5 unveils part one of Firefall manga Posted: 13 Jun 2012 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, MMOFPS, Firefall  Firefall's beta test is moving steadily along toward the game's (hopefully) upcoming release, and fans are probably hungry for some more background on the MMOFPS title. To help satiate that appetite, Red 5 has released part one of the Firefall manga series penned by legendary sci-fi author Orson Scott Card and his daughter Emily Janice Card. The comic, entitled Trespasser, is penciled by renowned artist Joe Ng of UDON comic fame, and follows mohawk-sporting heroine Pilgrim as she kills gargantuan mutant bugs and has a bit of a run-in with the law. The manga's story begins prior to the crash of the Arclight, which heralds the beginning of the in-game timeline. Hopefully the narrative will serve to fill in some of the details regarding the events that lead up to Firefall itself. Red 5 will be unveiling two new pages every Tuesday, so head on over to the comic to get up-to-speed, then be sure to check in weekly for the rest of the story.
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| Marvel Heroes whips up Avengers movie costumes Posted: 13 Jun 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Super-hero, Marvel Heroes  The superhero MMO will be including the film versions of Thor's, Iron Man's, Black Widow's, Hawkeye's, Hulk's, and Captain America's costumes. The game's devs assured players that the costumes won't just be for eye candy alone but "will also tie in key game systems in fun and unique ways." Marvel Heroes will offer many costume variants based on both the comics and the films, although the devs say that covering all of them might be a task that only a true superhero could accomplish. "Some of those experimental looks didn't exactly stand the test of time," the announcement explains.
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| Trion Worlds licenses CloakWorks cloth simulation tech Posted: 13 Jun 2012 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, News items, RIFT  RIFT players, have you been feeling like the game is missing a certain je ne sais quois? Perhaps the way your cloak flaps in the wind just isn't quite dramatic enough for you. Well, you may just be in luck, as Trion Worlds has just announced that it has licensed CloakWorks' "advanced cloth simulation technology" known as Shroud. RIFT executive producer Scott Hartsman claims that capes are one of the most-requested visual features and states that he's "very happy" with Shroud's results. The studio hasn't released any previews of the new technology in action, but we'll be sure to keep our eyes peeled for new details as they come. In the meantime, though, why don't you busy yourself by catching up on all the latest news about RIFT's upcoming Storm Legion expansion? [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
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| Alleged 38 Studios spouse outlines family's financial struggles after company's closure Posted: 13 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous  The letter outlines the family's financial struggles in great detail, and it serves as a cautionary tale to game industry hopefuls who are thinking of uprooting a family to follow a dream. Though the author is unnamed and could quite literally be anyone, Gamasutra says it has "verified her husband's name and former position at 38 Studios."
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| Turbine takes you behind the scenes on LotRO's live-action trailer Posted: 13 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Trailers, Video, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play  The clip shows the considerable care that went into the trailer's production, and it bodes well for those Middle-earth fans who are anxiously looking forward to Turbine's take on Tolkien's horse-lords. Check it out after the break, and check out the structural concept art in our gallery below. Continue reading Turbine takes you behind the scenes on LotRO's live-action trailer
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