MMO Updates

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• ArcheAge CBT5 video shows off new areas
• The Firing Line: PlanetSide 2, Tribes, and Heroes & Generals updates
• CCP's Jon Lander discusses the emotional attachment players have with EVE Online
• MMO Blender: Bree's big-budget sandbox
• The Daily Grind: Do you create a character around a name or a name around a character?
• The MMO Report: Ongoing zombie addiction edition
• Ask Massively: Safe for work edition
• SWTOR dominates GDC Online Awards nominations
• The Summoner's Guidebook: I suck at middle lane in LoL
• The Guild Counsel: The merit in MMOs and the greatness in guilds
• RIFT community team answers (almost) anything
• LotRO's Burglars get a heads-up about expansion changes
• Argon Queen update bringing new raids, dungeons, and more to TERA
• Square-Enix reveals new Final Fantasy XIV trailer
• Chaos Theory: Four essential Secret World tips
• GDC Online announces John Smedley for keynote

ArcheAge CBT5 video shows off new areas Posted: 27 Jul 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, New titles, News items, ArcheAge, Sandbox With ArcheAge's fifth Korean Closed Beta Test getting closer, XLGAMES released a video highlighting the new areas that will be introduced to testers. And those lands are beautiful! Realistic water flowing over falls, lush greenery, and fluffy white clouds apparently ambling across the sky are just a few of the visual features to feast your eyes upon. The video tour takes viewers through multiple areas, including swamps, a river and falls, weathered ruins, beaches complete with frolickers, a quiet mountain valley, and a waterfront community on stilts in crystal blue waters. Each area shows off the high-level of detail in the game. Keep those fingers crossed for a North American release sooner rather than later and immerse yourself in the vibrant world of ArcheAge in the video after the break. [Thanks to Chris for the tip!] Continue reading ArcheAge CBT5 video shows off new areas ArcheAge CBT5 video shows off new areas originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: ArcheAge CBT5 YouTube video

The Firing Line: PlanetSide 2, Tribes, and Heroes & Generals updates Posted: 27 Jul 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, Opinion, War, Free-to-play, PlanetSide 2, Sandbox, The Firing Line Not a bad week for shooter news, wouldn't you agree? Let's see, we had PlanetSide 2's heart-pounding Death is No Excuse CG trailer. We also had a huge Tribes: Ascend update. While those two juggernauts get plenty of press coverage, one shooter that's still operating relatively under the radar is Heroes & Generals. If you've read The Firing Line before, though, you know I'm a big fan of Reto-Moto's browser-based World War II title. Follow me past the break for the latest updates on that and more. Continue reading The Firing Line: PlanetSide 2, Tribes, and Heroes & Generals updates The Firing Line: PlanetSide 2, Tribes, and Heroes & Generals updates originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

CCP's Jon Lander discusses the emotional attachment players have with EVE Online Posted: 27 Jul 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Business models, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox In a recent interview, EVE Online's Senior Producer Jon Lander expounded on the bottom-up philosophy that CCP practices for its massive space sandbox. He discussed how EVE is focused on building tools for players to use instead of cranking out content for players to consume. Lander credits the game's success to listening to the player base and the developers who are more intimately familiar with the ins-and-outs of the game world. He states, "What we've done is we've devolved an awful lot of the power of the decision-making and the accountability for what we do in the games to the people who know best, which are the developers on the ground who've been doing this for a long time." He also noted that the company learned a valuable lesson when it deviated from that philosophy in 2011 and the company took its success for granted. EVE also benefits from focusing on building a social system instead of content. "We build a social engine that people actually love, hate, despise each other, love each other, backstab each other, and play the good Samaritan," says Lander. "People know each other, and there is this history. They feel a big emotional attachment to that, and that keeps them coming." CCP's Jon Lander discusses the emotional attachment players have with EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Gamasutra interview

MMO Blender: Bree's big-budget sandbox Posted: 27 Jul 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Professions, PvP, Endgame, PvE, Opinion, Roleplaying, Miscellaneous, Dungeons, Crafting, MMO Blender, Housing Writing MMO Blender feels like getting three wishes from a magical lamp and having to think very, very carefully about what you ask for. You have to word it just right and ponder the consequences of each wish on the others because you just know that Genie's going to screw with you. If I were stronger, I'd reject the wishes (here, the 1000 words) outright, knowing they're a trap, but I just can't resist a turn at this column. I want a new sandbox. A good one, not one made by gank-obsessed fanboys on a shoestring budget. I don't think sandboxes are dead; I just know it takes money to make money, and modern indie sandboxes are forgetting that rule. Fortunately, I don't need money for this column. I'll take my MMO Blender wishes and build a sandbox that's more than just a pile of sand and an empty box. Continue reading MMO Blender: Bree's big-budget sandbox MMO Blender: Bree's big-budget sandbox originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Do you create a character around a name or a name around a character? Posted: 27 Jul 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous In just about every new MMO, I've found myself a bit frustrated with the order of things during character creation. When I make my characters, I often think of the name first, and then I create a character according to that name. But choosing a name is usually one of the final steps in the process, which has caused me to completely scrap my work when it's discovered that a name is already taken. Has this happened to you? Do you create a character around a name and start over if that name is taken, or simply modify the name to fit the character you just built? 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! The Daily Grind: Do you create a character around a name or a name around a character? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The MMO Report: Ongoing zombie addiction edition Posted: 26 Jul 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Video, News items, Humor, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous Casey Schreiner is not a zombie. But as this week's installment of The MMO Report shows, he sure does like some zombies, and the prospect of The War Z's launch is certainly worth getting excited over. Even if you're not hungering for some brains, you can still enjoy the episode, which also covers such important MMO news as some little beta weekend or another. We think it was for Guild Wars 2; maybe you've heard of it. Other major points of interest for this episode include a look at The Elder Scrolls Online aiming itself at everyone rather than just hardcore fans, the launch date for Mists of Pandaria, and new maps unveiled for MechWarrior Online. If you've missed some important and interesting MMO news over the past week, click on past the break to watch the full episode, and stay tuned each week for a new installment from G4TV and Massively. Continue reading The MMO Report: Ongoing zombie addiction edition The MMO Report: Ongoing zombie addiction edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: G4TV

Ask Massively: Safe for work edition Posted: 26 Jul 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Launches, New titles, Opinion, Humor, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous I'm happy to announce that this installment of Ask Massively is entirely safe for work. You can click past the link assured that an embedded video will not start autoplaying a rap video with explicit lyrics that have been banned in seven countries. There are no pictures or descriptions of acts between two consenting adults that would result in jail time or possible lingering infections within one's armpits. No, you can show what's past the break to your boss! Assuming that your boss is totally OK with your spending company time browsing MMO sites instead of doing your job. So in that sense, it's not all that safe. In any event, this week we're looking at the transfer of names between your favorite Guild Wars characters and their new counterparts in Guild Wars 2. If you've got a question you'd like to see answered in a future installment of the column, mail it to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity. Continue reading Ask Massively: Safe for work edition Ask Massively: Safe for work edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

SWTOR dominates GDC Online Awards nominations Posted: 26 Jul 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, TERA, Miscellaneous The nominations for the Third Annual GDC Online Awards are up, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is represented across the board. BioWare's sci-fi MMO netted six nominations, including one for Online Innovation. That's not to say that SWTOR is the only MMO in the running; quite the contrary. Glitch is up for Best Online Game Design, World of Warcraft has a shot at Best Community Relations, RIFT is a strong contender for Best Live Game, and TERA might snag Best Online Visual Arts -- and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There's also a broader Audience Award that encompasses an even wider field. 2012's Game Developers Conference Online is taking place from October 9th through 11th and will be keynoted by John Smedley. SWTOR dominates GDC Online Awards nominations originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: GDC Online Awards 2012

The Summoner's Guidebook: I suck at middle lane in LoL Posted: 26 Jul 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook There are five roles on Summoner's Rift, and I play four with reasonable competency. Support is my strongest role; I'm cautious and attentive and I like warding. Also, I don't have to last-hit, a role at which I feel my skills are a bit deficient compared to the rest of my skillset. Despite feeling deficient at last-hitting, though, I actually play carry fairly well, given my current matchmaking rating. I am virtually always ahead in creep score compared to my opponents, and if an ally in my lane gives up first blood, it is almost always my jungler grasping at an opportunity that is not there. I've always been decent at solo top, I've recently learned how to jungle, and my jungling has been directly responsible for my team's victories quite frequently. There is one role in League of Legends' Classic gametype I'm not so good with, and that's solo mid. I'm not even an apologist for it, really. People fight over mid lane often enough that I've really never felt the need to field champions that play there. Many of my friends also specialize in mid lane champs. Although I feel my Classic skills are a bit on the weak side, solo mid is a special deficiency for me. Can we improve it? Let's find out! Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: I suck at middle lane in LoL The Summoner's Guidebook: I suck at middle lane in LoL originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Guild Counsel: The merit in MMOs and the greatness in guilds Posted: 26 Jul 2012 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous Last week, I got a bit grouchy as I looked at bad gamers, and I want to rebound from that this week. Bad gamers are like a paper cut: tiny and microscopic, yet surprisingly annoying. But when you step back and look at gaming overall, there's still plenty to marvel at. MMOs still offer a lot of freedom, which means freedom to be a griefer but also freedom to make connections with others and even learn a little about yourself along the way. I love when a group or raid is really clicking because players begin to relax, personalities emerge, and the results are some memorable moments and strong friendships. Maybe it's a desire to bounce back from last week's rant, or maybe it's the double rainbow I saw yesterday, but in this week's Guild Counsel, it's time to revisit what makes MMOs and guilds so great. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: The merit in MMOs and the greatness in guilds The Guild Counsel: The merit in MMOs and the greatness in guilds originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

RIFT community team answers (almost) anything Posted: 26 Jul 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, RIFT, Community Q&A RIFT's intrepid community team took to Reddit for a freewheeling ask-me-(almost)-anything (AMAA) today, and we've gleaned a few nuggets of knowledge from the discussion. Why "almost" anything? The CMs said they couldn't address unrevealed information about the expansion or things like balance mechanics. Taking part in the AMAA were James Nichols, James Weeks, and Amanda Fry. So how does the CM team think the game is doing and what does RIFT need at this point? Weeks addressed this one: "We've definitely added content faster than the speed of light. Honestly, as RIFT is here to stay, most everything I would want is probably coming at some point. Keep in mind, I started playing RIFT before I came to Trion. It was already the game for me." Nichols did speak to the crowd of anxious would-be RIFT homeowners about Storm Legion's Dimensions: "We're dying to show you -- but the reality is Dimensions were brand-new, still drying on the whiteboard. We're making progress towards them becoming a reality but it's probably going to be around or after Gamescom/PAX that you'll really get to learn more!" Other topics of the AMA included what goes on during server downtime, what other games the team plays, favorite moments with the team, and of course, the game's fascination with Corgis. RIFT community team answers (almost) anything originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: RIFT AMAA

LotRO's Burglars get a heads-up about expansion changes Posted: 26 Jul 2012 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Expansions, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries Turbine Developer Jonathan Steady is spreading the word through back alleys and in seedy taverns: Changes are coming for Lord of the Rings Online's Burglars when Riders of Rohan hits. The team's specifically looking to strengthen the mischief-maker trait line, although the changes don't stop there. Of probable interest to the game's Burglar population is the revelation of new high-level skills coming with the expansion. Burglars will be receiving Trick: Improved Disable, which adds a finesse debuff to the toolset; Improved Confound, another finesse debuff; and Improved Addle, a tactical damage debuff. Other changes include a 25% heal when the Burglar uses Find Footing, the ability to use Practical Joke outside of stealth, and a beefed-up Antidote skill that gets rid of all poisons. LotRO's Burglars get a heads-up about expansion changes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Burglar dev diary

Argon Queen update bringing new raids, dungeons, and more to TERA Posted: 26 Jul 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Patches, News items, TERA TERA's about to receive its biggest update yet. The Argon Queen update will be free of charge and is due to hit next month. The update will bring changes to some classes to increase their battlefield versatility, emphasizing TERA's focus on action-packed combat. Warriors will be able to tank more effectively, while Lancers will find their agility is boosted. A new battleground is being added; players from different servers will be able to duke it out in teams of 15. For those who'd prefer to beat up on monsters rather than their fellow players, new dungeons -- including a fierce confrontation with the Argon queen herself -- will be included in the update. Additionally, the Nexus Traverse will feature a 10-person raid filled with "some of the biggest and baddest BAMs the world of TERA has ever seen." More information will be made available as the update's launch date draws nearer. [Source: En Masse Entertainment press release] Argon Queen update bringing new raids, dungeons, and more to TERA originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Square-Enix reveals new Final Fantasy XIV trailer Posted: 26 Jul 2012 11:45 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, News items, Final Fantasy XIV Final Fantasy XIV has had a rough road to hoe since its initial launch. Square-Enix has given us a glimpse of a brighter future, though, courtesy of a new cinematic trailer and a new website. The double-barreled reveal is intended to stoke the fires of optimism for version 2.0, and while there's precious little information on upcoming changes to the game itself, there is a bucket-load of awesomesauce on display courtesy of the new trailer. It's short, but it packs its brief running time full of spectacular vistas and conflict-heavy vignettes. Check it out in full after the cut. [Source: Square-Enix press release] Continue reading Square-Enix reveals new Final Fantasy XIV trailer Square-Enix reveals new Final Fantasy XIV trailer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chaos Theory: Four essential Secret World tips Posted: 26 Jul 2012 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, PvE, Opinion, The Secret World, Guides, Chaos Theory So you've been playing The Secret World for a couple of weeks now, possibly longer. Maybe you're well into Blue Mountain, or heck, possibly even Transylvania if you're a really efficient type. On the other hand, maybe you just picked up the game last weekend and are overwhelmed with ability points, decks, and investigation missions. Whatever your comfort level with Funcom's new MMO, there's always room for a few off-the-wall tips, wouldn't you agree? Join me after a break for a few things I wish I'd known earlier. Continue reading Chaos Theory: Four essential Secret World tips Chaos Theory: Four essential Secret World tips originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

GDC Online announces John Smedley for keynote Posted: 26 Jul 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment, has been named for the Game Developers' Conference Online's business and marketing track keynote. In light of SOE's recent paradigm shift to focus on the free-to-play model, Smedley will be talking about how F2P is the future of online gaming. He'll run through how SOE managed to transition its games, how that transition has led to record highs in numbers of players and revenue growth, and what's in store for the future of F2P design. Other track's keynote speakers have yet to be announced, but details of other talks are slowly but surely being filled in. More details, including a schedule builder and an up-to-date list of speakers, are available on the GDC Online website. GDC Online announces John Smedley for keynote originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Free-to-Play: Driving the future of MMOs

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