MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Anvil of Crom: Three features Age of Conan needs right now

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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The Anvil of Crom - Three features Age of Conan needs right now
Well, I'm still dodging buckets of boiling oil and flaming arrows on account of my last column. Before I embark on another bit of shoddy journalism, irresponsible cronyism, and revisionist history -- known colloquially around these parts as an opinion piece -- I'd better take a few moments to clear the Occupy Massively folks off my front lawn.

OK, all set. They're crusading against the man in another comment section, so won't you join me after the cut for a look at some missing (and essential) Age of Conan features?

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Three features Age of Conan needs right now

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Three features Age of Conan needs right now originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Wings Over Atreia: Musings on secrets, subs, and Aion

    Posted: 02 Jul 2012 09:00 AM PDT

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    Wings Over Atreia
    Perhaps it was a specific alignment of the planets. Possibly it was a special convergence of random unrelated events. Or maybe it's just from poking around old haunts while livestreaming, discussing upcoming launches with friends, or reporting on different aspects of games. Whatever the reason, my mind has been been thinking about Aion in relation to other games quite a bit over the last couple of weeks. I have had many occasions to mull over the features and ponder what makes NCsoft's game the place to be in the face of so many other possibilities.

    So why Aion? In the face of a major launch and a plethora of free-to-play offerings, why should Daevas choose to remain or begin adventures in the world of Atreia? Well, you could just say different strokes for different folks and all that, but it's more than that. Aion also has a few unique cards stacked in its favor. In all, I say the game has quite a healthy life still ahead of it. Here's why.

    Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Musings on secrets, subs, and Aion

    MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Musings on secrets, subs, and Aion originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Sony invests in cloud-streaming with purchase of Gaikai

      Posted: 02 Jul 2012 08:30 AM PDT

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      Sony
      The gaming cloud company Gaikai, which partnered with Warner Bros. Interactive last March to stream an hour of gameplay in two different AAA games and more recently was in the news for partnering with En Masse to offer an instant streaming version of TERA's demo, was just acquired by Sony for the sum of $380 million.

      What does this mean for the company with numerous games across different platforms? Sony Computer Entertainment President Andrew House explains that the company "will deliver a world-class cloud-streaming service that allows users to instantly enjoy a broad array of content ranging from immersive core games with rich graphics to casual content anytime, anywhere on a variety of internet-connected devices."

      For more insight into the realm of cloud-streaming MMOs, check out Massively's look at Gaikai and browser-based gaming.

      MassivelySony invests in cloud-streaming with purchase of Gaikai originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Chaos Theory: Early access to The Secret World

      Posted: 02 Jul 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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      Chaos Theory - Early access to The Secret World
      Dark days aren't just coming, folks -- they're already here. And they're glorious.

      As you've probably surmised, Chaos Theory is a new column all about The Secret World. What you might not realize, however, is that this addition to Massively's feature roster was a little bit last-minute. Don't get me wrong; I've been looking forward to this game for a number of years now (heck, I signed up on DarkDemonsCryGaia.com waaaaay back in May of 2007, before Massively even existed!). Up until very recently, though, we had no plans to cover the game on a recurring basis. That changed over the early release weekend as I spammed our editors with zomg-I'm-having-a-blast-and-you-should-totally-let-me-write-about-this emails.

      Sure, I played the press beta and largely enjoyed it for what it was, but now that I'm in the game proper, tooling around on my own characters and taking the time to soak up the stories, the lore, and the mechanics, well... let's just say that we'll have plenty to talk about for the foreseeable future.

      Continue reading Chaos Theory: Early access to The Secret World

      MassivelyChaos Theory: Early access to The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        MV Guide: July 2 - 8, 2012

        Posted: 02 Jul 2012 07:00 AM PDT

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        MV Guide July 2  8, 2012
        MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV.

        Every week, the Massively Stream Team logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises each week, so you'll find a variety of titles to watch. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, or simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

        Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule, and let us know if there's a specific game you'd like to see streamed next week!

        Continue reading MV Guide: July 2 - 8, 2012

        MassivelyMV Guide: July 2 - 8, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Teacher uses SWTOR to connect with autistic student

          Posted: 02 Jul 2012 06:30 AM PDT

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          Teacher uses SWTOR to connect with autistic student
          Through Reddit comes one of those truly touching stories that show us just how video games can and do make a difference for the better in the real world. Special Ed teacher Lyobel was having difficulties connecting with an autistic student. After learning that the student was into Star Wars and Star Wars: The Old Republic, she went to Reddit to ask for help in mastering the lingo and game. With her new-found knowledge, Lyobel met her student in SWTOR and found that he opened up through this medium:
          "This was after all a kid who for the last six months hadn't talked to anyone except over a computer, hadn't left the room except for food and toilet for the same amount of time, and had kicked out and ignored the last teacher to enter his domain.

          But aha! He is PvPing! And by the looks of it, he is getting his ass kicked. 'Get out of line of sight!' I shout, smoothly positioning myself next to him so I can see better. It looks slightly humorous while he runs around a rock, and when he dies I proclaim a masterful 'stupid smugglers!'

          Now, I'm not entirely sure if it was a smuggler that killed him, but the ice is broken, and as he runs back for revenge he starts telling me about how long he played, why he is on the dark side, and how the server is PvP-wise.

          Seriously! We didn't shut up! When the PvP was over, he handed in a few quests, logged out, and focused on my tasks. I hadn't brought much, to keep the first time short and sweet, but when that was done we talked about dogs, games, and made a plan for our next lesson."
          BioWare caught wind of this story and sent both the teacher and student posters signed by the dev team.

          [Thanks to Soeren for the tip!]

          MassivelyTeacher uses SWTOR to connect with autistic student originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Daily Grind: Are you a fan of offline-leveling?

          Posted: 02 Jul 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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          Glitch
          By my count, EVE Online and Glitch have exactly two things in common: They're both sandboxes, and they both have offline-leveling. Yes, whether you're harvesting tears in EVE or milking butterflies in Glitch, your skills are all raised offline while you're sleeping, working, or playing some other game that actually requires your attention.

          I love offline-advancement systems, not because they themselves are so exciting but because they usually signify a game that's focused on letting you play a game rather than making you grind it out. Still, I know the system comes with a ripe crop of problems for newbies, who are often crippled in competitive games until they've spent enough time not-playing to effectively play.

          What about you -- are you a fan of offline-leveling?

          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: Are you a fan of offline-leveling? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            MMO Week in Review: Tinfoil hats

            Posted: 01 Jul 2012 06:00 PM PDT

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            TSW
            At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post.

            It's surely no coincidence that ArenaNet announced Guild Wars 2's launch date on the eve of The Secret World's pre-purchase launch, but Funcom has in fact rolled out the game's headstart, seemingly undaunted. We'll be releasing our new column as well as impressions and guides of the studio's conspiracy-themed MMO next week when it launches officially to the rest of the world, but for now, enjoy our TSW community guide and a rundown of this week's top MMO stories, which are conveniently awaiting you and your tinfoil hats past the break.

            Continue reading MMO Week in Review: Tinfoil hats

            MassivelyMMO Week in Review: Tinfoil hats originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              EVE Evolved: Five awesome carrier tactics

              Posted: 01 Jul 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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              EVE Evolved title image
              The world of EVE Online's capital warfare is most often a numbers game. Alliances commit forces to a fight knowing that victory is almost assured if they have significantly more ships than the enemy. But not all capital pilots and corporations are created equal; some can pull off incredible tactical plays that act as force multipliers, increasing the effectiveness of every man on the battlefield.

              Rooks and Kings alliance has a long history of fighting above its weight by employing highly effective cooperative strategies, so it's no surprise that four out of my five top capital tactics come from the alliance's awesome PvP videos. I think it's safe to say that if Rooks and Kings brings fewer capital ships than you to a fight, you're still vastly outnumbered.

              In this week's EVE Evolved, I showcase videos of five awesome carrier tactics, each with a video of the tactic in action.

              Continue reading EVE Evolved: Five awesome carrier tactics

              MassivelyEVE Evolved: Five awesome carrier tactics originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                One Shots: Signs and portents

                Posted: 01 Jul 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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                One Shots: TSW
                We're deep in the throes of The Secret World's pre-launch weekend, and here to celebrate the game's arrival is Massively reader Sharvis, who sent in several potential One Shots of the game, including one of his character puzzling his way through a quest. He writes in,
                I found this map of Kingsmouth with a strange symbol on it. It only served to mystify my character Cole. Something sinister is underfoot in Kingsmouth, but what could it be?
                The plot thickens after the cut! Well, not really, but we do have a few more user-submitted screenshots to show off!

                Continue reading One Shots: Signs and portents

                MassivelyOne Shots: Signs and portents originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  The Repopulation recaps a successful June

                  Posted: 01 Jul 2012 01:00 PM PDT

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                  The Repopulation - June update
                  Well, it's a day ending in "y," so it must be time for another indie sandbox update (though thankfully this one has little to do with Kickstarter). In all seriousness, Above & Beyond Technologies has released its June summary for The Repopulation, a sci-fi title that's heavy on nods to genre classics.

                  As you can see if you read the lengthy new post, the devs have been busy little bees. Alpha has officially started, a successful Kickstarter campaign is in the books, and the last four weeks saw the release of three gameplay videos as well as a ton of progress updates to the actual game client. Head to the official Repopulation site for the full scoop.

                  MassivelyThe Repopulation recaps a successful June originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Rise and Shiny: Divina

                  Posted: 01 Jul 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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                  Divina screenshot
                  Ah, another week; another Anime-inspired free-to-play game, right? Well, not so fast. I've become pretty dismissive lately in my minimalist-gamer haze, but games like Divina, the title I looked at over the past week, are some of the only titles that are quite reliable. Sure, there are hundreds of these games now and hundreds more coming soon. It's important to take each one individually, just as I would any title, and judge it on its own (mostly) unique parameters.

                  In other words, sure it looks similar to other games I've seen before and plays like a lot of other games I've seen before, but it's a free game with a cash shop on top, a reliable formula especially in this day and age of complicated tiered programs and "semi" subscription games. Also, games like Divina can be plain fun -- and fun to look at.

                  Of course, I'm simplifying, so allow me to tell you about my week and you can judge for yourself.

                  Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Divina

                  MassivelyRise and Shiny: Divina originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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