| War Z closed beta launches on Halloween Posted: 04 Oct 2012 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Horror, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic, Sandbox Players interested in checking out the new zombie apocalypse game The War Z will have the chance to participate in closed beta starting on October 31st by purchasing a special Survivor package for $19.49. If that's just too long to wait, Hammerpoint Interactive has also announced that players can get into alpha on October 15th by purchasing the Pioneer package for $29.99 instead. This package also includes in-game currency, a forum badge, and one month of Stronghold map server hosting. Both packages can be bought for these discounted prices until October 20th; after that, the prices rise to $29.99 for the Survivor and $49.99 for the Pioneer.  War Z closed beta launches on Halloween originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SOE announces Esamir, PlanetSide 2's new, cold continent Posted: 04 Oct 2012 09:15 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Interviews, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, Massively Interviews, PlanetSide 2 PlanetSide 2, currently in development over at Sony Online Entertainment, is an MMO like no other. The game is a first-person shooter that boasts a persistent online world, strategy-focused gameplay and a skill-based reward system. There are experience points, unlocks, class specializations and customization options, along with piles of guns, numerous vehicles and twitch-heavy skill-based rapid-fire combat. In short, it's everything you might expect to find in a game bearing the MMOFPS moniker. The combat in PlanetSide 2 takes place on enormous continents packed with defensible structures and environmental hazards. And while SOE plans to launch the game with three continents total, current beta participants have so far only had access to the canyon/forest/desert terrain of Indar. Lucky for those testers ready for a change of scenery, SOE has just announced the addition of Esamir, a second playable continent that promises to bring a host of new challenges along with new visuals and new hidden secrets. We sat down with SOE's Leonard Gullo and Tramell Isaac to get an up-close look Esamir and find out what lies in store for those willing to brave its harsh climates. Continue reading SOE announces Esamir, PlanetSide 2's new, cold continent SOE announces Esamir, PlanetSide 2's new, cold continent originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Ask Massively: How awesome is your game? Posted: 04 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT |
| Blizzard moves 2.7 million Mists of Pandaria units in first week Posted: 04 Oct 2012 08:45 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Business models, Expansions, MMO industry, News items After two rounds of speculation, we finally have an accurate read on Blizzard's Mists of Pandaria sales numbers. The firm moved approximately 2.7 million copies of World of Warcraft since its September 25th launch. This doesn't count sales in China, where the expansion debuted on October 2nd. The company also reports that its global player base has surged upwards of 10 million subscribers. "With Mists of Pandaria, we set out to expand on the sense of fun and discovery that's always been at the heart of World of Warcraft -- in addition to adding a huge variety of new content and features to the game," said Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime. "It's been gratifying to see the results of all of the work we put into this expansion and to hear all of the positive feedback from players so far." [Source: Blizzard press release] Blizzard moves 2.7 million Mists of Pandaria units in first week originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Bethesda's new Battlecry Studios looking for F2P experts Posted: 04 Oct 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Consoles, Miscellaneous  Bethesda may be known for its one-of-a-kind offline RPGs, but its new Battlecry Studios division is looking to ride the online free-to-play gravy train. Eurogamer has sussed out a few details based on the firm's job postings, which include a "monetization designer" and a platform lead position that requires experience with "design and implementation of microtransaction systems and services." The advertisements also suggest some sort of console release, as Bethesda notes that "console experience -- preferably next generation (PS3, Xbox 360)" is preferred. Battlecry is headed by former Star Wars: The Old Republic executive producer Rich Vogel. Bethesda's new Battlecry Studios looking for F2P experts originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| ArenaNet offers explanation for Guild Wars 2's diminishing returns mechanics Posted: 04 Oct 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, PvE, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-play ArenaNet game designer Jon Peters has explained the reasoning behind the diminishing returns karma mechanics that many Guild Wars 2 players have complained about in recent weeks. "These systems are put in place to protect the economy from botters and exploiters. We will close exploits as quickly as we can. These thresholds help create a safety net to keep the economy safe when we aren't there to deal with the offender," Peters says in a post on the GW2 forums. Peters also says that the devs need to work out a few kinks, and that ArenaNet does not intend to put an end to legitimate farming gameplay. "We believe some of the threshold systems are just too harsh empirically and we'll be adjusting those systems within the next few weeks to ensure that fewer legitimate players are being impacted," he wrote. [Thanks to Divalicious Diva for the tip!] ArenaNet offers explanation for Guild Wars 2's diminishing returns mechanics originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: Would you play a game you dislike for one good feature? Posted: 04 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Expansions, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Races I don't care for World of Warcraft. It's nothing personal against Blizzard or its legion of fans, but WoW has always rubbed me the wrong way. You've got to hand it to Blizzard, though. The company knows what works, and it's very good at what it does. A personal case in point is the fact that I seriously considered resubbing earlier this week. See, I do like pandas, and even though it may cost me some manly points for saying so, I would love to roll as a bear monk in an MMORPG. What about you, Massively readers? Have you ever considered playing a game you don't like because of one nice feature?  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: Would you play a game you dislike for one good feature? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Firing Line: Hi-Rez talks Global Agenda 2 Posted: 03 Oct 2012 07:15 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Global Agenda, The Firing Line Three cheers for Hi-Rez! In addition to providing me with a no-brainer of a column topic this week, the Atlanta-based development firm is also gifting its fans with a reboot of Global Agenda. The original GA launched way back in February of 2010, and while it remains one of the more enjoyable online games I've ever played, it has fallen on hard times. Hi-Rez shifted its focus to Tribes: Ascend prior to GA's free-to-play conversion, and the latter game's population steadily declined to the point where Dome City and the various instances surrounding it were a haven for tumbleweeds rather than lobby shooter fans. Can GA 2.0 build on the original game's rock-solid foundation while avoiding its missteps? Let's discuss that with Hi-Rez COO Todd Harris after the break. Continue reading The Firing Line: Hi-Rez talks Global Agenda 2 The Firing Line: Hi-Rez talks Global Agenda 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Allods Online patch 3.0.5 UI changes previewed Posted: 03 Oct 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Allods Online  Allods Online isn't very far away from it's 3.0.5 update, Autumn Wind. To bide the time 'til the patch hits, the Allods team is showcasing different updates that 3.0.5 will bring to the game. After Autumn Wind hits, players will automagically hop on the last mount they used when choosing to automove to a quest location. Deposit boxes will have sorting options (much as inventory bags currently do) to save players with large deposit boxes from the clicking-finger fatigue that has always accompanied manual organization. The action bar will be combined and re-ordered for more visual clarity and easier spell activation. Players will no longer have to talk to the boring ol' Astral Hangar NPC to summon their Astral ships, as a new window will pop up the moment they enter the Astral Hangar. Some quests will have new icons to prevent confusion, quest logs will be more compact, and active buffs and debuffs will be sorted by duration. Visit the official preview for full details on upcoming UI changes, and keep an eye out for more 3.0.5 information. Allods Online patch 3.0.5 UI changes previewed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Undead Labs talks about guns in State of Decay Posted: 03 Oct 2012 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Game mechanics, News items, Post-Apocalyptic, Miscellaneous Today's official blog post about State of Decay is not about careful examination of different cultures. It's not about understanding what creates a zombie and how the sickness can be stopped. It's not even about the careful process of finding and maintaining your food supplies in the wake of societal breakdown. No, this is a blog post about guns. It is all about the weapons you will use to blow the undead into little bite-sized chunks of zombie. The centerpiece is a huge list of guns that players can expect to find and shoot in the game, each with varying properties and ammunition types. It's also meant to expand in the future. So there's no subtlety here, just deadly firearms and the promise of using them to mow down shambling zombies to ensure your own survival. What more could you really want? Aside from functional vehicles and a planet not crawling with monsters that want to eat your brains, of course. Undead Labs talks about guns in State of Decay originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Project: Gorgon hits Kickstarter Posted: 03 Oct 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Business models, New titles, News items  Touted as "an indie MMO by industry veterans," Project: Gorgon has launched a bid for public affection (and donations) on Kickstarter. The effort is being spearheaded by Eric Heimburg and Sandra Powers, who've worked on titles like Asheron's Call, Asheron's Call 2, EverQuest II, and Star Trek Online. Project: Gorgon is meant to promote and reward exploration and remove constrictions on gameplay. Its creators are calling it a "thoroughly modern MMO" with a "quirky, old-school feel." The details of the game's cost and possible subscription fees haven't been finalized yet, but the rewards that have been set out seem to be hinting to a free-to-play model paired with subscriptions for extra access and goodies. Rewards include alpha and beta access, game time, special items (including a vial of -- we kid you not -- "wolf spit"), and the opportunity to vote on game features in beta and shortly after launch. Hit up the Kickstarter page to let the team speak for itself, or skip below the cut to see some pre-alpha footage of the game. Continue reading Project: Gorgon hits Kickstarter Project: Gorgon hits Kickstarter originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WildStar Wednesday introduces us to Galeras Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, Previews, News items, WildStar Interested in setting up shop in the middle of a war zone? The latest zone preview from WildStar is all about Galeras, a set of windy plains that have become the focus of a military campaign by the Dominion's Crimson Legion. Led by Colonel Audras, the Crimson Legion is hard at work trying to cut off and annihilate Exile settlements all across the region, leaving players to turn the tide and prevent the valley from falling to the Dominion. Of course, there's more to the area than just fighting to save the settlements. There's also an Eldan ruin known as the Focus of Air tucked in a canyon surrounded by vicious whirlwinds. Scientists have moved into the area to try to study the ruins and the phenomena, but they've hit unpleasant resistance along the way. Take a gander at the full preview for more shots and details about the zone, which looks like a fine place to live if you like being shot at and bombed. WildStar Wednesday introduces us to Galeras originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Free for All: An interview with disabled gamer Keith 'Aieron' Knight Posted: 03 Oct 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Culture, Interviews, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-play, Massively Interviews, Free for All, Livestream, Miscellaneous, MOBA, League of Legends There are literally millions of disabled citizens in the United States alone. How many of these millions play games or would love to if the developers and hardware manufacturers provided more options for control and accessibility? During my time volunteering with Ablegamers.com, I learned a lot about how disabled gamers are often ignored or simply forgotten during the making of a title. Despite the fact that MMOs are generally more accessible than, say, the latest FPS, the community and developers still have a long way to go. Don't tell that to Keith "Aieron" Knight. Besides having a killer name, he hasn't let his muscular dystrophy stop him at all. Recently he gained a bit of fame after being promoted by the official Guild Wars 2 and AbleGamers Twitter accounts. It turns out he was streaming his gameplay live, along with his webcam, as he played games to raise money for research. When I first tuned in to watch, he had over 3,000 viewers. The chat was mostly civil and showed just how educational it can be to show how a disabled player actually accesses a game. Many in the chat room didn't believe it was real. Why? Well, because Knight can pretty much kick some butt in both Guild Wars 2 and League of Legends... all while playing by using a pen in his mouth and his cheek on the mouse. I had to ask this guy some questions! Continue reading Free for All: An interview with disabled gamer Keith 'Aieron' Knight Free for All: An interview with disabled gamer Keith 'Aieron' Knight originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Daniel Erickson leaves BioWare Posted: 03 Oct 2012 04:30 PM PDT |
| Choose My Adventure: TSW's investigation missions steal the show Posted: 03 Oct 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Real life, Polls, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Secret World, Choose My Adventure, Dungeons Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't... I hope! Sometimes you just have to go with what the director says, not because that's who's in charge but because that's who can see the performance as a whole. We mere actors must trust that the director knows what s/he is doing. That said, I had my doubts about your last set of directions for this next act of Choose My Adventure. Although some of you cautioned me to beef up before moving along to the Savage Coast in The Secret World, the actual vote steered me otherwise. The Savage Coast? That sounds so... well, savage! So after biding my time with missions, exploration, and Polaris while waiting for the final vote, I hoofed it on over to the edge of Kingsmouth and into the tunnel once the polls closed. Boy, it's a good thing you also voted for me to group up because those bugs can bite! Between my adventures in Kingsmouth and those in the new region, I gained a deeper appreciation for the intricacies and uniqueness of TSW. And I learned that I am not, in fact, the star of this show! Let's shine a spotlight on this week's adventures and see who really is. Continue reading Choose My Adventure: TSW's investigation missions steal the show Choose My Adventure: TSW's investigation missions steal the show originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Former SWTOR executive producer heads to Battlecry Studios for unnanounced title Posted: 03 Oct 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Real life, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items  Rich Vogel, the former executive producer of Star Wars: The Old Republic, has found a new home with Bethesda Softworks. Bethesda has announced a new studio: Battlecry Studios will be based in Austin, Texas, and headed up by Vogel. Battlecry Studios is looking for "experienced game developers to fill key roles for an unannounced project." Bethesda President Vlatko Andonov says the company is excited about Rich's "history of building and managing talented development teams and bringing high quality games to market," while Vogel has "always admired and respected Bethesda's approach to making great, original games." While there's no information yet as to the nature of the title, Vogel's long history with MMOs gives us hope. Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax, already has The Elder Scrolls Online in development through Zenimax Online Studios but might be looking to make use of its rights to the Fallout franchise. [Source: Bethesda Softworks press release] Former SWTOR executive producer heads to Battlecry Studios for unnanounced title originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Juicy new LOTRO images released Posted: 03 Oct 2012 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Lord of the Rings Online, Events, in-game, Patches, News items, Free-to-play The days until the release of the Riders of Rohan expansion for Lord of the Rings Online are speeding by. With less than two weeks left before the expansion goes live, Turbing has released a whole bushel of eye candy in the form of screenshots. Riders of Rohan will allow plays to experience some iconic moments in the journey of the Ring: Frodo's angsty deliberation on how best to get to Mordor, the corruption and redemption of Boromir, and the breaking of the Fellowship. Get a preview of what's to come by taking a spin through our Riders of Rohan gallery, where we've collected screenshots old and new for your viewing pleasure. [Source: Turbine press release] Juicy new LOTRO images released originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SWTOR community tour announced Posted: 03 Oct 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Events, real-world, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dev Diaries  Do you like free food, free drinks, Tauntauns, and a chance to talk with your favorite Star Wars: The Old Republic devs? Then the SWTOR team has fabulous news for you. A new string of community meet 'n' greet events has been announced! Starting with the New York Comic Con, the SWTOR Community Cantina Tour will be visiting different parts of the US to eat, drink, and be merry with fans. A blog post before each event will have all detailed information about then meetup, so be sure keep an eye peeled so as not to miss out! For a full list of the four planned tour cities and their estimated timeframe, hit up the official blog post. If you're more concerned about what's going on in-game than a chance to meet up with devs, you might be happy to know that community manager Joveth Gonzalez has made a post on the official forums responding to complaints about issues in update 1.4. SWTOR community tour announced originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| GDC presenter talks about $100,000 whales Posted: 03 Oct 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Real life, Video, Business models, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items Have you always wanted to purchase a really expensive in-game whale to be your beloved pet? Then, sadly, this GDC Europe presentation by Reality Squared Games CEO Jared Psigoda probably isn't for you. If you're interested in how Asian game studios manage to attract players willing to spend $100,000 and more on their games, this is just the presentation for you. Psigoda, a former gold farmer, talked about how Chinese browser games and other free-to-play titles increase the cost of virtual goods depending on the level or power of players' characters. This model is dependent on a smooth pricing curve that gets players used to the idea of microtransactions with low-cost items and exchanges and gradually raises the cost in such a way that players don't dig in their heels at a sudden change. Check out GDC's Vault for an in-depth look at squeezing money out of players. GDC presenter talks about $100,000 whales originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Remembering my time in City of Heroes Posted: 03 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter Not long after my first column on the City of Heroes shutdown, I received an email that contained several of the testimonials from this full-to-bursting thread on the Save CoH boards. And they're not the only ones out there. There are countless stories about what the game means to people, ranging from the silly to the sublime, stories that can only really accumulate in a game that's run for eight solid years. When it comes to recollections about the game, I'm not Mercedes Lackey or Scott Kurtz or even Eric Burns-White. I'm what the byline says: a mild-mannered reporter. But I'm also a guy with a lot of feelings about the game, one that I've been playing on and off for nearly all of its eight-year run. To be blunt, I've got the microphone and you don't. So I'm going to go ahead and throw my hat into the ring when it comes to remembering City of Heroes, starting with the game that I played at launch for less than two weeks. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Remembering my time in City of Heroes A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Remembering my time in City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Blizzard's Pardo: Single-player games are an endangered species Posted: 03 Oct 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous Blizzard big cheese Rob Pardo recently revealed his doubts about the future of single-player games in a wide-ranging interview with GamesIndustry.biz. "It's really sad," Pardo said. "There's just a lot of elements out there that conspire to make those games difficult to make now. Between pirating or the ability for people to rent games, it's hard for publishers to pour millions and millions of dollars into a game and not necessarily see the return they need to make those budgets realistic." The interview delves into the pervasive social connectivity inherent in many current-gen games, and it also touches on everything from cloud gaming to monetization and business models. Pardo says he's a fan of game designers dictating the monetization models rather than leaving it up to a producer or an executive. "Someone that's more business-oriented or production-oriented will graft a business model onto a game because that's what they think is going to drive the most revenue, but the game doesn't really support it," Pardo explains. Blizzard's Pardo: Single-player games are an endangered species originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Kristy Ross, suspected ringleader of a "scareware" scam that tricked over a million consumers into buying software to remove malware detected by fake antivirus scans, has been ordered to pay more than $163 million in damages, the Federal Trade Commission announced. The court also permanently barred Ms. Ross from selling security software of any kind, as well as any software that might interfere with a consumer's computer use or engage in any from of deceptive marketing.
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