MMO Updates |
- EVE Online's 11th Alliance tourney makes changes, needs commentators
- Massively's DUST 514 launch impressions
- Neverwinter Days: The 14 guides you need to read
- Allods Online introduces new dungeon-building tool
- A tour of DC Universe Online's new Origin Crisis DLC
- The Daily Grind: Which game has the best character animations?
- Jukebox Heroes: Defiance's soundtrack
- Combine your consoles and get new ships in Star Trek Online's expansion
- Star Citizen concept art shows off Orion III colony
- Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's customization cash kitty
- Sid Meier on mobile and the value of hardcore gamers
- Vostok gearing up for Survarium alpha invites
- The Soapbox: MMOs are to kids what MUDs are to us
- Newbie tips to surviving the DUST 514 experience
- Massively Speaking Episode 248: Duped!
- SWTOR customization update goes live
- NCsoft clarifies stance on Guild Wars 2 expansion
- Flameseeker Chronicles: The matter of alts in Guild Wars 2
| EVE Online's 11th Alliance tourney makes changes, needs commentators Posted: 15 May 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Events (In-Game), PvP, Sandbox  If you'd prefer to participate in the battles themselves, note that there will be a few changes to the tourney from years past. To start, Alliance Tournament XI will run over only three weekends, not four. Second, qualifying rounds and group stages have been replaced by double elimination from the get go. Next, from the second weekend onward, two ship types will be banned from the match by team captains. And finally, to fly with an alliance you had to have been a member since downtime this morning. Dev blogs covering all the rules, the broadcast schedule, and sign-up details will be coming soon.
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| Massively's DUST 514 launch impressions Posted: 15 May 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Game Mechanics, Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Consoles, First Impressions, DUST 514, Sandbox  I've played EVE in some strange places prior to this. In an airport terminal, for example. On my toilet, even (yes, nature occasionally calls in the middle of a fleet fight and thank God for laptops). But DUST marks the first -- OK, technically the second -- time I've ever played in New Eden with a controller. Continue reading Massively's DUST 514 launch impressions
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| Neverwinter Days: The 14 guides you need to read Posted: 15 May 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Free-to-Play, Guides, Neverwinter, Neverwinter Days  That's OK; I'm not in a rush. I'm not the type to get into a speed race or feel the compulsion to become an instant expert by the end of week one. My experience so far has been feeling out what Neverwinter has to offer, mostly by going through the solo quest line, participating in skirmishes, and queuing up for dungeon runs when time permits. And I'm enjoying myself so far, although I still have that "slightly lost" feeling that comes with exploring a brand-new MMO. I need to learn how to create Foundry missions and I haven't even touched professions yet. Maybe you're like me. Maybe you assume that everyone already knows the ins and outs of the game as though he's been playing it for years, while you're an ignorant noob wandering the streets. I don't think you're alone if that's the case, and to help both you and me out, I've done some research to find the top 14 most helpful threads, sites, and articles that all fledgling Neverwinter adventurers should at least skim over. Continue reading Neverwinter Days: The 14 guides you need to read
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| Allods Online introduces new dungeon-building tool Posted: 15 May 2013 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Expansions, Free-to-Play, Allods Online, Dungeons, Player-Generated Content  Launching June 5th of this year, the Path to Victory expansion opens up new private islands that act as customizable labyrinths for other players to explore. In addition to this dungeon-building tool, Gala Networks is also introducing the Weaponsmith tradeskill and several graphical updates with this patch. Be sure to watch the Path to Victory trailer just after the jump. [Source: Gala Networks press release] Continue reading Allods Online introduces new dungeon-building tool
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| A tour of DC Universe Online's new Origin Crisis DLC Posted: 15 May 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Super-hero, Screenshots, Video, Game Mechanics, Interviews, Patches, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Events (Massively's Coverage), DC Universe Online, Dungeons, Subscription  We sat down with Jens Andersen, Creative Director of DC Universe Online, to discuss this special DLC, a pack that has been in planning since the game's conception. Continue reading A tour of DC Universe Online's new Origin Crisis DLC
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| The Daily Grind: Which game has the best character animations? Posted: 15 May 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  I try to give credit where credit is due. MMOs that show off fluid, good-looking animations are deserving of praise. For me, the litmus test is whether or not a game can portray jumping in a natural way. That's harder than you'd think; I've seen so many titles that have characters jumping with stiff spines, awkward arm angles, or the grace of a boiled squash. So instead of lambasting games for bad animations, let's focus on those that pull off natural- and good-looking animations today. Seriously, it's going to be tough for some of you to put a lid on the negativity, but I believe in you. Which game has the best character animations?  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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| Jukebox Heroes: Defiance's soundtrack Posted: 14 May 2013 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Opinion, Defiance, Jukebox Heroes, Music, Buy-to-Play  Before I go and change my name to Sugar Glider Olivetti, I guess it's only fair that I put a lid on my hurt ego to give Defiance's score a fair listen. McCreary was tapped to create the music for both the MMO and the TV series, giving the crossover project a unified sound. "I had to make sure that players could hang out in one area for long stretches of time without getting bored by repetitive music," McCreary wrote on his blog. "As a result, melody plays less of a role throughout many of these cues. The real stars of this music are the texture and colors." Music has texture and colors? If Bear says it, then it must be. Let's dive in! Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Defiance's soundtrack
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| Combine your consoles and get new ships in Star Trek Online's expansion Posted: 14 May 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Galleries, Expansions, News Items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play  Whether or not this entices you to drop some additional money, the latest development blog on the official site details the bonuses for slotting Romulan refit consoles together in Legacy of Romulus. These include buffs to turn rate, energy weapons, and defensive systems based on speed. The net result is that owners of both refit and retrofit versions of these vessels can access a new playstyle for the class, a new trick to surprise opponents of the Romulans. Which is apropos.
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| Star Citizen concept art shows off Orion III colony Posted: 14 May 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Lore, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play  The main course is a trio of gorgeous images from the former colony world of Orion III. Armitage, as the world was also called, was "the site of the farthest human colony from Earth... and one of the first targets of the Vanduul menace." After you've dined on the establishing aerial artwork, it's time for dessert in the form of some early sketches for specific planetary locations. Feast your eyes at the official Star Citizen website.
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| Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's customization cash kitty Posted: 14 May 2013 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, Events (In-Game), Patches, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Races, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon, MMORPG  It's a hard thing to admit when you're wrong. But I admit that I was wrong about Star Wars: The Old Republic Update 2.1: Customization. Even as late as last night on The Republic, I believed that things like the new Appearance Designer might not cost players Cartel Coins to use, but now that the update has arrived, I admit that is certainly not the case. Had I known that it would cost CCs to so much as use the Appearance Designer, I would be in the camp of players upset about this update containing only Cartel items. If you define an expansion or DLC as additional content that costs money, then that is exactly what this update is. I'm not against BioWare making money, and to be completely honest, I'm not upset about the company making money on many of these items. Perhaps through my own misunderstanding, I feel a bit cheated with the update. Let me break down the Update 2.1 items for us. I'll point out the good and the bad, and maybe you will understand my perspective, even if you don't agree. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's customization cash kitty
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| Sid Meier on mobile and the value of hardcore gamers Posted: 14 May 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business Models, Interviews, MMO Industry, Mobile, Casual  You know you're getting old when legendary PC developer Sid Meier gives interviews about his foray into mobile gaming. It's not as bad as it sounds, though, because the man behind the Civilization series tells GamesIndustry.biz that the core gaming audience is still driving the industry regardless of platform."I think we've seen historically that the more casual gaming platforms and markets do have a kind of rise and fall pattern to them, whereas the hardcore gaming market, the serious gamers are much more stable, and they're going to be around for a long time and will keep playing games," Meier said. Meier also ruminates on his approach to mobile free-to-play, which is basically the same try-the-demo-buy-the-full-game-if-you-like-it model that PC gaming has employed for decades. "It's not something like a constant stream of purchases every day, but it's more just unlocking the rest of the game and then you are done," he explained.
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| Vostok gearing up for Survarium alpha invites Posted: 14 May 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Post-Apocalyptic  The dev diary also outlines what testers can expect from the early stages of the project. The alpha, for example, is "team-based PvP combat mode only," and even this is necessarily scaled down in order to ensure that key components like shooting, movement, and synchronization are working properly. You can register for the Survarium alpha at the game's official website.
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| The Soapbox: MMOs are to kids what MUDs are to us Posted: 14 May 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business Models, Culture, Economy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Consoles, Casual, The Soapbox  I'm sure many of you reading this now could not care less about MUDs. You might have played one years ago, but generally they are seen as the cute elderly citizens of MMOdom. That's cool if that's how you feel, but now think about this: The new generation, kids between 13 and 20 years old, will look at many of our large PCs and 20 gig MMOs the same way modern gamers look at MUDs. Continue reading The Soapbox: MMOs are to kids what MUDs are to us
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| Newbie tips to surviving the DUST 514 experience Posted: 14 May 2013 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Launches, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, DUST 514, Guides  The first guide is a hodge-podge of beginner's tips, and the second has to do with earning much-needed skill points. "In the early days, we think it's wise to hoard ISK and SP until a time when you're ready to decide on your specialization," the author writes. "Until then, the Militia Gear is good enough." Good luck, soldiers! If you have any DUST 514 tips or tricks that you'd like to pass along to other Massively readers, please do so in the comments.
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| Massively Speaking Episode 248: Duped! Posted: 14 May 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Podcasts, MMO Industry, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous  Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. [iTunes] Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. [Stitcher] Follow the podcast on Stitcher Radio. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 248: Duped!
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| SWTOR customization update goes live Posted: 14 May 2013 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, Patches, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic  Update 2.1 includes new dye modules, a collection interface, name changes an appearance editor, and the option to play as a member of the Cathar race. Check out the update trailer after the break! Continue reading SWTOR customization update goes live
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| NCsoft clarifies stance on Guild Wars 2 expansion Posted: 14 May 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Guild Wars 2, Buy-to-Play  "In regards to your recent post on a Guild Wars 2 expansion, there is a slight misunderstanding when interpreting the answer from the NCsoft earnings call. We are considering an expansion, but we are taking a wait-and-see stance. We are evaluating the performance of the game and deciding on when would be the best time to launch an expansion. But right now, our living story approach is very successful in keeping players engaged with new and exciting content. Launching boxed expansions are a great way to package content, but if we can do this on a more regular basis, something we've been doing since launch, it provides players with new content to explore and experience every time they log into the game."So if you're trying to categorize this, an expansion to Guild Wars 2 should go in the "maybe, possibly, probably, some day, one day, soon, later, never, ignore the man behind the curtain" column.
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| Flameseeker Chronicles: The matter of alts in Guild Wars 2 Posted: 14 May 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles  While it's not solely responsible for the longevity of my involvement in MMOs, it sure doesn't hurt. I'm presently sitting at four max characters in Guild Wars 2. That'll turn into five fairly soon, and then I've got plans for another six or seven after that. (For those of you keeping score at home, that does involve having more than one max-level character of the same profession. It's a disease.) Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: The matter of alts in Guild Wars 2
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