MMO Updates |
- The Road to Mordor: Six smashing ideas for LotRO's player housing
- WRUP: Nightmare glitch edition
- The Daily Grind: Have you ever bought a sparkle pony?
- Vanguard going free-to-play on August 14th
- Ultima Forever opens the doors to Druids
- MMObility: Stomping around the world of The Missing Ink
- Betawatch: July 28 - August 3, 2012
- Taikodom: Living Universe kicks off closed beta
- Allods Online has a few good mercs for hire
- Some Assembly Required: Four sandboxes we need right now
- Storyboard: The RIFT project - week 3
- CCP rebalancing EVE mining barges, exhumers
- Catch another End of Nations beta livestream tonight
- Ragnarok Online's War of Emperium event launches August 7th
| The Road to Mordor: Six smashing ideas for LotRO's player housing Posted: 04 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor, Housing  Except for the admittedly steady stream of housing items that enter the game and the occasional promise that a housing revamp (or whatever you call it) is on the team's radar, housing in the game has more or less been the same since it first came into being. It's not a system that all players use possibly because there isn't much use to it, which makes for a strange catch-22, and Turbine has to be constantly evaluating how to spend its limited resources to impact the greatest number of people. Still, a Hobbit can dream, can't he? After hearing the wonderful news this week that WildStar will ship with a robust housing system, I couldn't help but think back on LotRO's current setup. Ideas formed in my head, ideas to make housing in Middle-earth not only relevant but downright engaging. What could get us to go "home" a little more often? Just hear me out. Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Six smashing ideas for LotRO's player housing
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| WRUP: Nightmare glitch edition Posted: 04 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Massively Meta, Miscellaneous  Where was I? Oh, right. WRUP. This week the Massively staff has mostly been scared to death by that screenshot, but those of us not weeping in terror talked about our plans for the weekend as well as our pick for the next game hopping on the free-to-play bandwagon. So check out our responses after the break, let us know what you'll be up to in the comments, and then... man, that's really going to be watching you the whole time, huh? Horrorshow. Continue reading WRUP: Nightmare glitch edition
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| The Daily Grind: Have you ever bought a sparkle pony? Posted: 04 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  I'll fess up first: I bought myself a sparkle pony when Blizzard put the mount on sale for 10 bucks a while back, and I love it (it reminds me of celestial gear and creatures in Guild Wars, so I was weak!). But I still feel a little guilty. What about you? Have you ever bought an overpriced mount for cash in an MMO? Why did you do it, and do you feel the pang of guilt I do about supporting a double-dipping subscription game?  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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| Vanguard going free-to-play on August 14th Posted: 03 Aug 2012 08:15 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Vanguard, Free-to-play  Sony Online Entertainment notes that the game has undergone many changes over the last few months in preparation of this monumental event. Some changes include a revamp of the starting areas, removal of class/race restrictions, and the addition of the Vanguard Marketplace. The official website has also seen some upgrades and has a new address to match the new look; be sure to bookmark the new site at http://www.vanguardthegame.com. Players can also expect to see even more changes as the days count down to the launch.
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| Ultima Forever opens the doors to Druids Posted: 03 Aug 2012 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Classes, Interviews, Free-to-play  The as-of-yet unrevealed class is a Druid, who will take her place alongside the Mage and Fighter. "She's an interesting one," Skalski said, "but unfortunately at this time we like to hold back on the details behind her for a little longer. I will however say there will be five additional classes beyond these three that we plan to launch every few months following launch." Skalski said that Ultima Forever takes place 21 years after Ultima IV and has a Lady British on the throne of Britannia ("We wanted to be respectful to Richard and his rights," he explained). BioWare's skill as a spinner of yarns will be on full display as well: "At its core is a story of a journey with choice. The eight virtues are threaded throughout the game and your actions will dictate how you progress those virtues."
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| MMObility: Stomping around the world of The Missing Ink Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Screenshots, Video, Game mechanics, New titles, Previews, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, Family, MMObility, Sandbox  The Missing Ink is not only attempting to be a unique title by offering the type of access that we normally see only from Spacetime Studios or HTML5 browser MMOs but presenting a very unique-looking game, one of paper cutout figures and Burton-esque curly trees dotting a wavy landscape. There's also a building mode promised, although I haven't experienced it yet. But will this multi-platform approach work? Well, I took a look at the alpha and have enjoyed what I've seen so far, but I must warn you: This is not a review. It's hardly even a preview. It's just a peek into a strange, new game. The following opinions and gameplay bits are subject to massive, sweeping changes. Continue reading MMObility: Stomping around the world of The Missing Ink
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| Betawatch: July 28 - August 3, 2012 Posted: 03 Aug 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, MMO industry, Massively Meta, Betawatch, Miscellaneous  Players who've been waiting months for a chance to play Glitch will be happy to learn that the team is now letting new players trickle in. Pirate101 has also kicked off its closed beta. But if you're not into such cutesy fare, maybe you'll prefer Taikodom, which launched its closed beta today, or our recent hands-on with MechWarrior Online -- early access starts this coming Tuesday! Finally, this weekend marks fresh beta events for City of Steam and End of Nations. The complete Betawatch roundup is just past the cut -- now with shiny subreddit links! Continue reading Betawatch: July 28 - August 3, 2012
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| Taikodom: Living Universe kicks off closed beta Posted: 03 Aug 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, News items, Free-to-play  Players in the game will be pushed into one of two factions, the Consortium or the Renegades, as they battle for control of the 61 Cygni star system. While the thrust of the game is (obviously) space battles, the game features both PvE and PvP combat as well as a crafting system and advanced character progression options. Take a glance at the gallery below for a look at the game, and if you'd like to have a shot at taking part in a future round of testing, register at the official site. [Source: GamersFirst press release]
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| Allods Online has a few good mercs for hire Posted: 03 Aug 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game mechanics, Free-to-play, Allods Online  Mercenaries work in a similar fashion to those in other MMOs. Players who are struggling to put together a full group for challenging content can hire one of these hard-working soldiers of war. Allods will give players their first mercenary contract for free, but subsequent ones cost in-game currency. Mercs last for two hours and are under control of the player who hired them. The mercenary roster includes Rowdy Brow, a tank; Matron Lighthand, a healer; Stormer the Fierce, a melee warrior; Casper Flinty, a ranged damage dealer; Lisa de Vevre, a buffer/debuffer; and Michael Grammar, a ranged spellcaster. New Horizons is on course to launch early this month. In the meanwhile, may we interest you in an exclusive interview with one of the devs?
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| Some Assembly Required: Four sandboxes we need right now Posted: 03 Aug 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, Opinion, ArcheAge, Some Assembly Required, Sandbox  As much as I've been enjoying The Secret World in recent weeks, it can't quite scratch that open world, free-roaming, full-blown economy experience that I've been missing since the days of Star Wars Galaxies and Ultima Online. There are a couple of titles in the pipeline that may recapture those experiences, though. Join me after the break and see whether you agree. Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Four sandboxes we need right now
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| Storyboard: The RIFT project - week 3 Posted: 03 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Roleplaying, RIFT, Storyboard, Miscellaneous  Yes, it's the penultimate installment of RIFT project recaps, and it's been an interesting week. This one has been mostly focused around broadening the scope, adding in some new characters to the mix and seeing how they've played off the quartet already in play. In short, it's been good... but it highlighted a weakness that neither Ms. Lady nor I was really conscious of until we sat down and articulated it. Of course, if you've been reading steadily, you may have already guessed at the problem, but that's all the more reason to catch up on the events. There's a higher than usual dose of unmitigated crazy this week, too. So what happened on a week when we should really have been bringing things toward a conclusion? Anything but. Continue reading Storyboard: The RIFT project - week 3
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| CCP rebalancing EVE mining barges, exhumers Posted: 03 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox  In a nutshell, there's a new mining frigate on the way, and current mining frigates will no longer be mining frigates. "The goal here is to allow players to choose a barge that fits their specific play style rather than lead them on a journey from the worst barge to the best one," CCP says. Other changes include reduced skill requirements for both barges and exhumers. This "might not make [mining] any more exciting, but at least miners will have to make some meaningful decisions before they undock," according to the devs. That's just the tip of the iceberg, of course, so head to the official EVE Online website for more.
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| Catch another End of Nations beta livestream tonight Posted: 03 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, MMORTS  The beta event itself happens today through Sunday, August 5th, while the livestream goes down tonight at 8:00 p.m. EDT on the EoN TwitchTV channel. Devs will be showing off new content, including a 4v4 base assault map called Blue Water and a 4v4 domination map called Resource Hog. [Source: Trion press release]
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| Ragnarok Online's War of Emperium event launches August 7th Posted: 03 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Patches, PvP, News items, PvE, Free-to-play  In this new update, cracks in reality have appeared deep within the Halls of Abyss and an entrance to the Unknown Dimension has been discovered. Players will compete for these rare and coveted dimensional cracks. Producer Jason Koerperich states, "This WoE update is just the thing to spark that community competition! The new War of Emperium is a combined PvP and PvE mechanic that will pit players against each other in new ways." Players can keep an eye on the official facebook page for full details on the events as the week unfolds. [Source: Gravity Interactive press release]
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