MMO Updates |
- CCP secures $20 million in funding for DUST 514
- Storyboard: The RIFT project - conclusion
- TERA lawsuit settled, En Masse maintains innocence
- RIFT team calls down the thunder in Storm Legion dev diary
- Rumor: Greg Zeschuk leaving BioWare [Updated]
- The Daily Grind: Which closed MMO would probably make it today?
- ArenaNet announces another stress test for Guild Wars 2
- The MMO Report: Shoot all the things edition
- Ask Massively: I do not yet have my copy of Persona 4 Arena edition
- Funcom offering bonus Secret World cash shop points to tire-kickers
- New Defiance developer diary explains what makes an MMO shooter
- Blizzard internal network hacked, some Battle.net account details compromised
- The Guild Counsel: Should MMO studios hold guild summits?
- WoW adjusts Scroll of Resurrection for Mists of Pandaria
- Flameseeker Chronicles Extra: A brief history of Guild Wars 2's Tyria, part two
- Riders of Rohan brings new skills, skill tweaks to LotRO Hunters
- Chaos Theory: How The Secret World has spoiled an MMO vet
- The Summoner's Guidebook: Will Korea dominate League of Legends, too?
- The Secret World's first raid debuts at Gamescom
| CCP secures $20 million in funding for DUST 514 Posted: 10 Aug 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, News items, MMOFPS, DUST 514, Sandbox  Chief Marketing Officer David Reid noted funding will go towards marketing the game's launch. Now that doesn't mean players will see a one-time blitz of promotional advertising; Reid pointed out CCP is able to focus on a more long-term marketing campaign. The funds will also go towards preparing for an IPO. Although the company does not have immediate plans to go public, Reid states that the money allows the company to lay some of the preparatory groundwork so it would be ready if and when the time was right to actually go public.
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| Storyboard: The RIFT project - conclusion Posted: 10 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Roleplaying, RIFT, Storyboard, Miscellaneous  I'd like to say that this was something that I came to conclude very late in the project, but honestly it happened early on. Both Ms. Lady and I knew that the project had failed irrevocably, and while I'd like to think we tried gamely to keep running it as if the project were ongoing, I think we failed even at that. So, yes -- this is a project that ended in failure. But it ended in failure in the best way possible. Even with that having been said, the project didn't take off in the direction I had hoped and certainly didn't have the results I'd conceived of when I first came up with the project. So it's worth examining what worked, what didn't, and what advice I can give anyone else attempting a similar project in the future. I think it's a worthy idea, but I think that ultimately it just doesn't quite work. Continue reading Storyboard: The RIFT project - conclusion
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| TERA lawsuit settled, En Masse maintains innocence Posted: 10 Aug 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, TERA  The lawsuit centered around claims that TERA's Korean developer, Bluehole Studio, stole assets from the in-production Lineage III to create TERA. Three former NCsoft employees at Bluehole were found not guilty in that initial lawsuit, but no verdict has been revealed in this latest legal battle. En Masse stands by its claim of innocence, but recent layoffs at the studio worry players. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
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| RIFT team calls down the thunder in Storm Legion dev diary Posted: 10 Aug 2012 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Expansions, RIFT, Dev Diaries  The core concepts of the expansion are laid out, from the new continents to the storyline. In fact, consider this your cheat sheet for Storm Legion if you're looking for a tidy and exciting summary. The devs also state that this isn't just your same-old, same-old romp through familiar territory. "Instead of more high fantasy, we're getting creatures that people have never even imagined before," promises Design Producer Hal Hanlin. Watch the full dev diary after the break and let us know what you think about Storm Legion's prospects in the comments! Continue reading RIFT team calls down the thunder in Storm Legion dev diary
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| Rumor: Greg Zeschuk leaving BioWare [Updated] Posted: 10 Aug 2012 06:15 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, Rumors, Star Wars: The Old Republic  Word of his possible departure has been rumored since the May layoffs, but an EA representative reportedly confirmed to GamersGlobal that Zeschuk "outlined his plan to return to his family in Edmonton for a much deserved vacation." The site also suggested that Zeschuk has been absent from the studio for several weeks, and there were fears within the Austin studio that both Zeschuk and co-founder Ray Muzyka were planning to leave. The rep went on to clarify: "Greg also announced the new GM of BioWare Austin and Old Republic, Matt Bromberg. Greg is still with EA. He's now back in Canada, taking time off and thinking about new projects. No change with Ray Muzyka." As this is still a rumor at this point, we must note that official confirmation from EA hasn't been made on this report. We will update with any news as it's made available. [Update: Gamasutra reports that Zeschuk is not leaving BioWare completely, just his General Manager position back in May.]
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| The Daily Grind: Which closed MMO would probably make it today? Posted: 10 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  The fact is, many of the MMOs that closed four or five years ago might actually work in today's MMO environment -- especially with that go-to F2P model. So what do you think? Would Motor City Online or Auto Assault appeal to today's crowd of fed-up-with-fantasy MMO players? Would cancelled projects like Mythica or Wish make it with a cash shop and a prayer? Let us know which previously closed MMO you think might just make it today.  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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| ArenaNet announces another stress test for Guild Wars 2 Posted: 09 Aug 2012 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, News items, Guild Wars 2  In an ongoing effort to make the Guild Wars 2 servers fit for the teeming masses that will descend upon them at launch, ArenaNet has declared yet another stress test. For those of you who missed out on Thursday's test or just want more time in Tyria, your next chance is this Friday, August 10th, from 7:00 p.m. EDT until 11:00 p.m. EDT. Characters will not be wiped before the stress test, and as always, the test is open only to those who have already pre-purchased Guild Wars 2. In the announcement of the event, the ArenaNet team reminded fans that they "might experience connectivity problems" and that any such issues "are a result of the rigorous conditions of the stress test, and are in no way representative of the state of the game at launch."
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| The MMO Report: Shoot all the things edition Posted: 09 Aug 2012 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, News items, Humor, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous  Of course those aren't the only two games being highlighted, but the shooting continues even from there. There's material on The War Z, which is all about shooting zombies, and Guild Wars 2, which certainly involves a large number of classes that shoot things. Click on past the break to see the full episode, and tune in again for another installment of The MMO Report from G4TV and Massively. Continue reading The MMO Report: Shoot all the things edition
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| Ask Massively: I do not yet have my copy of Persona 4 Arena edition Posted: 09 Aug 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Guilds, Opinion, Massively Meta, Humor, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous  Ask Massively, as a whole, does not cover fighting games. Instead, it covers your questions about MMOs or about meta-MMO issues. For example, this week's question is about Massively guilds in games. If you've got a question you would 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: I do not yet have my copy of Persona 4 Arena edition
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| Funcom offering bonus Secret World cash shop points to tire-kickers Posted: 09 Aug 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, MMO industry, The Secret World, Promotions  You'll also need to spend the points prior to September 30th, and Funcom says that "they can be used to purchase a wide array of social clothing for your character." Full outfit sets will run you 1080 points, whereas individual shirts, jackets, pants, and accessories are anywhere from 225 to 540 points each. [Source: Funcom press release]
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| New Defiance developer diary explains what makes an MMO shooter Posted: 09 Aug 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, MMOFPS, Defiance  Characters advance partly through the acquisition of powerful new weapons, which is almost a given based on the nature of the game. Weapons are also heavily customizable, with visible differences between stock weapons and customized versions. Players will also be able to acquire points to spend on special abilities of varying types, although points can be swapped into different abilities later on. If you want a more in-depth look at the game, click on past the break to view the full development diary. [Source: Trion Worlds press release] Continue reading New Defiance developer diary explains what makes an MMO shooter
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| Blizzard internal network hacked, some Battle.net account details compromised Posted: 09 Aug 2012 04:50 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO industry, News items  While Blizzard president Mike Morhaime explains that no financial data (like credit card details, real names, and billing addresses) were compromised as a result of the security breach, he does admit that emails, answers to security questions, and encrypted Battle.net passwords of North American players (and others outside of China) were accessed. "Based on what we currently know, this information alone is NOT enough for anyone to gain access to Battle.net accounts," wrote Morhaime, but the company is still investigating the breach and recommends that all players change their passwords "as a precaution."
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| The Guild Counsel: Should MMO studios hold guild summits? Posted: 09 Aug 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, Guilds, MMO industry, Endgame, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous  But how much sway should guilds have with game studios? On one hand, they can be helpful lobbying groups for game changes that the bulk of the playerbase wants and would appreciate. On the other hand, not all guilds are the same, and what one guild might want to see in game could be vastly different from the ideas of another guild. Should guilds have special summits with studios? Let's take a look at this topic in this week's Guild Counsel. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Should MMO studios hold guild summits?
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| WoW adjusts Scroll of Resurrection for Mists of Pandaria Posted: 09 Aug 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Expansions, Promotions  The updated scroll adjusts to the new specialization and talent system in Mists of Pandaria by allowing resurrected (returning) players to pick their new specialization. Talents won't be preselected for those players, however. The scroll won't affect the new Monk class, so those hoping for a quick trip to level 80 on a Monk will need to do it the old fashioned way instead. Pandaren characters also need to pick a faction before the scroll's benefits can kick in.
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| Flameseeker Chronicles Extra: A brief history of Guild Wars 2's Tyria, part two Posted: 09 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Lore, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles  I hope it goes without saying that there are lore spoilers ahead, as well as Eye of the North, Guild Wars Beyond, and companion novel (Ghosts of Ascalon and Edge of Destiny) spoilers. You have been warned. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles Extra: A brief history of Guild Wars 2's Tyria, part two
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| Riders of Rohan brings new skills, skill tweaks to LotRO Hunters Posted: 09 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, PvE, Free-to-play  The update is a scant 26 days away, and not only will it bring the addition of the lands of Rohan and mounted combat, but a couple of classes will be overhauled as well. We told you about the Guardian earlier this week, so today it's the Hunter's turn in the spotlight. Several Hunter skills are being improved. Chief among them are Agile Rejoinder and Quick Shot, the former of which will always heal a Hunter with an associated legacy, and the latter of which will reduce threat in spite of its damage output. That's not all, as the class is also receiving a new skill called Cry of the Hunter, which dazes up to six enemies and grants the Hunter a movement speed buff. Read all about it at the official LotRO website.
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| Chaos Theory: How The Secret World has spoiled an MMO vet Posted: 09 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, Opinion, The Secret World, Chaos Theory  Oh sure, I'll dabble in PlanetSide 2 and Guild Wars 2, but as far as my MMO home goes, it's The Secret World by a landslide (at least until ArcheAge heads west). Why is that? Well, plenty of reasons, more than I can relate in this week's column, in fact. I will say this, though: The Secret World's launch feature set has made me a bit pickier in terms of what I'll put up with in competing games. Continue reading Chaos Theory: How The Secret World has spoiled an MMO vet
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| The Summoner's Guidebook: Will Korea dominate League of Legends, too? Posted: 09 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Contests, Events, real-world, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook  When Riot Games added support for Korean League of Legends and OnGameNet began running regular tournaments, I had to check it out. Sure enough, big pro-gaming teams like StarTale and MiG started fielding pro League teams, and most of the things I suspected were true. Korean teams have amazing coordination and incredible mechanics compared to their western counterparts. This was put to the test last weekend during Major League Gaming's LoL Summer Arena, where Korean qualifying team Azubu Blaze utterly destroyed the other teams, losing only once to Curse Gaming. Most of the matches weren't even close. What's the secret to Azubu Blaze's dominance? Can it be reproduced in the West, or is League of Legends going to end up like StarCraft -- dominated by the Korean scene? Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Will Korea dominate League of Legends, too?
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| The Secret World's first raid debuts at Gamescom Posted: 09 Aug 2012 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Trailers, Video, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Patches, News items, PvE, The Secret World, Dungeons  Funcom's new content initiative continues at next week's Gamescom event as the firm will be releasing details of The Secret World's first raid encounter. According to a report at IncGamers, the raid will "involve a giant monster crawling out of the subway system [and] attacking a partially destroyed New York." We don't know for sure whether the old trailer is related to the new raid, but there are a lot of similarities (including an errant subway car and what looks like the blasted remains of the Big Apple). See for yourself after the break. Continue reading The Secret World's first raid debuts at Gamescom
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