MMO Updates

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• Free for All: You got your e-sport in my PlanetSide 2
• ArcheAge F2P today, adds houses and dungeon
• MechWarrior Online runs the numbers and announces a launch date
• A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superhero news of June
• RuneScape 3 launches July 22nd
• The Daily Grind: What should MMO tutorials include?
• Jukebox Heroes: Ultima Online's soundtrack
• TERA Korea adds five new dungeons, lots of gear
• GamersFirst adds Nixon masks, holiday event to APB
• CCP's Sean Decker and Hilmar Petursson on the future of EVE, DUST 514, EVE-VR, and mobile gaming
• Star Citizen tops $12 million in crowdfunding, outlines additional stretch goals
• Flameseeker Chronicles: Revamping rewards in Guild Wars 2
• Chaos Theory: Reflecting on The Secret World's first year
• Hyperspace Beacon: Breaking SWTOR canon one Ewok at a time
• Guild Wars 2 announces the Bazaar of the Four Winds

Free for All: You got your e-sport in my PlanetSide 2 Posted: 03 Jul 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Video, Culture, Game Mechanics, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Free for All, PlanetSide 2, MOBA I promised myself that I would not spend half of this column making silly jokes about e-sports. The simple truth is that I find e-sports about as exciting as collecting stamps. That might sound harsh, but remember how fanatical (and oblivious to my opinions) some people are for stamps. And that's just fine. What bothers me about e-sports is how the genre takes something that comes from a wonderfully chaotic place -- play time -- and wraps it in a set of rules and expectations. I used to say that humans could make a sport out of anything, and it turns out I was right. I joked that holding your arm into the air could be a game if they made rules concerning the activity. While it's not quite a spectator sport, I recently discovered that there are people in this world who literally hold an arm in the air -- sometimes for years -- to prove their dedication. All we need now is a bit of commentary and we'd have a sport. And now here we are with news that one of my favorite games, PlanetSide 2, is about to introduce major league gaming-styled instanced Battle Islands into a world that is unique because of its massive, open scale. This week I have heard the words "instanced" and "MOBA" and references to Team Fortress 2 enough to scare my pants off. Continue reading Free for All: You got your e-sport in my PlanetSide 2 Free for All: You got your e-sport in my PlanetSide 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Jul 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

ArcheAge F2P today, adds houses and dungeon Posted: 03 Jul 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Patches, Free-to-Play, ArcheAge, Sandbox, Dungeons, Housing Last month we learned that ArcheAge was switching payment models in Korea and ditching subscriptions. And now that change has come to pass. If a subscription was all that was holding you back from playing the new sandbox, today's update heralding the transition to free-to-play marks your chance to dive in. If, however, you're stuck in the western world where the game hasn't been released yet, your wait continues. This update didn't stop at just the move to F2P; Steparu.com reports that XLGAMES also introduced a new 10-man dungeon called Island of Eternity as well as new houses with underwater farms. Additionally, a new coin system has been implemented that will allow players to purchase potions to replenish labor points -- used in the game's non-combat activities -- up to three times a day. This last bit of news could be highly beneficial for the free players, since labor points will not naturally replenish unless an account is paid. ArcheAge F2P today, adds houses and dungeon originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Jul 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Steparu.com

MechWarrior Online runs the numbers and announces a launch date Posted: 03 Jul 2013 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, Launches, News Items, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, MechWarrior Online There are a lot of people stomping around in MechWarrior Online right now. More than one million, according to a recent dispatch by Piranha Games, which puts the total number of registered accounts at about 1.1 million. These players have collectively logged 9.6 million hours to the game, destroyed a total of 46 million 'Mechs consisting of 80 billion tons of metal, and fired more than 12.6 billion missiles alone. It's a bit of a violent game, in short. It's also a game about to finally shed the open beta title. Piranha Games has announced an official launch of September 17th, 2013. How much will actually change versus the current open beta is up for debate, but it's good to see a game fixing a launch date and sticking to it. So if you're a die-hard MechWarrior Online fan, get out there and start raising those destructive totals one 50-ton target at a time. [Source: Piranha Games press release] MechWarrior Online runs the numbers and announces a launch date originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Jul 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superhero news of June Posted: 03 Jul 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, News Items, Opinion, Marvel Heroes, Champions Online, DC Universe Online, A Mild-Mannered Reporter June was definitely a month. And things definitely happened during it. And some of them could sort of be seen as relating to superhero games, so that's good. Unfortunately, most of them sort of... weren't. That's not entirely true, really. There was some news about superhero games all through June; it's just that most of it had very little to do with the here and now. Most of it focused around what will happen, where games will be going, and what players can expect in the future. There was a decided lack of news about what's going on right now. Still, that makes it no less worthy of review. So let's hop in the not-very-far-back machine and take a look at the news from June, which also featured some sort of gaming convention or another. I can't remember which one, exactly. It'll come to me in a minute. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superhero news of June A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superhero news of June originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Jul 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

RuneScape 3 launches July 22nd Posted: 03 Jul 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, RuneScape, Free-to-Play, Browser If you're a RuneScape fan, go ahead and mark July 22nd on your calendar. That's the date that Jagex is unveiling RuneScape 3, which the company says is "the biggest upgrade in the game's acclaimed 12-year history." The browser-based game client will transition to HTML 5, enabling players to avoid Java or any additional plugins. The new client will also boast improved graphics, longer draw distances, an upgraded camera system, and superior audio, according to a Jagex press release. RuneScape 3 will also usher in a new era of user-generated content, with the future of Gielinor's inhabitants and scenery now resting in players' hands. The Battle for Lumbridge, a community-focused world event, kicks things off on July 22nd. [Source: Jagex press release] RuneScape 3 launches July 22nd originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What should MMO tutorials include? Posted: 03 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous A couple of weeks ago I jumped back into RIFT because of, well, its free-to-playness. I couldn't help it; it was as if there was a party going on and I had to go or else feel forever alone. Apart from the massive crowds that come with F2P launches, RIFT featured another surprising change from the last time I was there: Its tutorial was shortened. Trimmed down. Cut in half and then some. So what used to take me around 45 minutes to go through the opening tutorial zone now took me less than 20. It made me think a lot about what MMO tutorials should include. Obviously, you need to show the ropes to players who have never picked up an MMO before. You can't overwhelm those folks, either, so the ins and outs of the game need to come in measured doses. You also need to inform MMO vets as to what is different about this particular game than other ones. And it's probably a good idea to, y'know, allow players to skip tutorials if they've done them a couple of dozen times already. What should MMO tutorials include? 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: What should MMO tutorials include? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Jul 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Jukebox Heroes: Ultima Online's soundtrack Posted: 02 Jul 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Ultima Online, Jukebox Heroes, Music, Subscription Ultima Online and EverQuest were bound in blood by their early place in MMO history, but both titles were also two of the very few MMOs that released with a MIDI soundtrack. I've talked about the charms of MIDI before, although I think that a good chunk of the modern playerbase has no idea how games used to sound. In short, UO's original score used to be 100% computer produced, but eventually the MIDI format was replaced by much better-sounding versions in MP3 files around 2002. The core game's music was done by a pair of composers, Kirk Winterrowd and Joe Basquez, both of whom worked on previous Ultima titles. There's not a lot out there about the duo's experience creating the soundtrack nor whom the game studio tapped for music duties after Origin Systems went away. What I find interesting about this score is that not only is it beloved by players who have fond memories for Ultima Online but it is part of the larger Ultima framework, harkening back to The Olden Days of gaming. Seeing as how I was never into any of the Ultima titles (for shame, I know), I'm going to have to fall back on a simple gut-check: Which of this music is appealing simply for its own sake? Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Ultima Online's soundtrack Jukebox Heroes: Ultima Online's soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Jul 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

TERA Korea adds five new dungeons, lots of gear Posted: 02 Jul 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, TERA, Dungeons Bluehole Studio may be focused on its upcoming TERA sequel, but it hasn't forgotten about the original game, either. MMO Culture reports that the Korean version of TERA recently received a massive update that included five new dungeons. The content is broken down into solo, 3-man, 5-man, and 7-man instances, with names that translate roughly as Wizard's Fortress, Ancient Underground Canal, Ship of the Red Pirates, Forest of the Giants, and Shrine of Barde. The site also features impressive screenshots of each dungeon's final boss, and it says that each instance will feature new gear drop. Older instances will apparently see improved drops. There is no word on the new content making its way to the western versions of TERA. TERA Korea adds five new dungeons, lots of gear originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Jul 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: MMO Culture

GamersFirst adds Nixon masks, holiday event to APB Posted: 02 Jul 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Real-Life, Events (In-Game), MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, All Points Bulletin, Crime If you're going to be in San Paro for July 4th, be on the lookout for Richard Nixon. Or at least, players wearing those goofy Point Break-style bank robbery masks that GamersFirst has added to its APB Reloaded cash shop. The firm is also putting on a holiday event of sorts, if your idea of a holiday event is literally killing everything that moves. G1 has locked up the game's Asylum action district until players meet or exceed 13,839,289 total kills for the week, after which point it will be re-opened for two weeks. The firm has even added some stretch goals, including an Asylum-themed weapon skin for taking part. GamersFirst adds Nixon masks, holiday event to APB originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Jul 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

CCP's Sean Decker and Hilmar Petursson on the future of EVE, DUST 514, EVE-VR, and mobile gaming Posted: 02 Jul 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Business Models, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Mobile, MMOFPS, DUST 514, Sandbox Earlier today, CCP Games announced that industry veteran Sean Decker is coming on board as Senior Vice President of Product Development. Sean's laundry-list of industry experience includes a recent 12-year stint at EA, where he headed up the Play4Free division. This has naturally led to some trepidation within the EVE Online community, which has been extremely wary of free-to-play and microtransaction-based business practices since the Monoclegate scandal in 2011. I caught up with Sean Decker and CCP CEO Hilmar Petursson last night to get the low-down on Sean's role, how he will influence EVE and CCP's other products, and what the future has in store for DUST 514 and EVE-VR. Sean is to be the head of product development across all of CCP's games, not just the free-to-play titles, but I wouldn't worry about EVE going free to play any time soon. "I don't think [free-to-play] is the be all and end all business model," Sean told me, adding that he understands that the subscription model better fits some games. Read on for more information on the future of EVE Online, DUST 514, EVE-VR, and CCP's first foray into mobile gaming. Continue reading CCP's Sean Decker and Hilmar Petursson on the future of EVE, DUST 514, EVE-VR, and mobile gaming CCP's Sean Decker and Hilmar Petursson on the future of EVE, DUST 514, EVE-VR, and mobile gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Jul 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Citizen tops $12 million in crowdfunding, outlines additional stretch goals Posted: 02 Jul 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play Star Citizen's recent 24-hour livestream saw the game's crowdfunding total roll past $11 million. Last night, Cloud Imperium posted yet another milestone as the game eclipsed a whopping $12 million in community funding, which basically means that the sci-fi spaceflight sandbox raked in a cool $1 million over the weekend. The milestone also means that Cloud Imperium will be building a pro sound studio to replace the "current home office" used for the game's audio production. What happens if the crowdfunding totals top $13 million? Star Citizen will get a new playable ship class (the frigate) as well as command and control center functionality. This means that larger ships like the Constellation and the Idris will allow pilots to tie all of their ships together "and assume central command from the third seat." If the community manages $14 million, a fourth landing spot on Earth will open up -- possibly London or Berlin -- along with a feature-length behind-the-scenes documentary film and a hibernation mode save-game system. Star Citizen tops $12 million in crowdfunding, outlines additional stretch goals originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Jul 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Flameseeker Chronicles: Revamping rewards in Guild Wars 2 Posted: 02 Jul 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles, Buy-to-Play ArenaNet has improved the reward systems in Guild Wars 2 this year by adding new features such as world vs. world skill trees, laurel and guild merit vendors, and better loot for world boss encounters. However, many players still feel that there should be more tangible incentives urging them to log in each day and engage in the content that they enjoy. Fortunately, Colin Johanson agrees and has taken to the forums several times to tease an upcoming reward revamp for all areas of the game. This redesign involves adding rewards for hitting certain thresholds of achievement points, creating more uses for blue and green items, and making fighting champion-level creatures more worthwhile. This month, we should expect to hear more about ArenaNet's plans for the second half of 2013, akin to the road map laid out back in January. While we wait for the official word, check out the video edition of the Flameseeker Chronicles for some loot-themed speculation. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Revamping rewards in Guild Wars 2 Flameseeker Chronicles: Revamping rewards in Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Jul 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chaos Theory: Reflecting on The Secret World's first year Posted: 02 Jul 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Opinion, The Secret World, Anniversaries, Chaos Theory, Buy-to-Play Bring out the cake and light the candle! Exactly 365 days ago today, the MMO stork delivered a new bundle of joy to gamers, one with a modern setting, cerebral challenges, and a unique take on the genre. And now that little bundle has sprouted up, weathering its share of growing pains over the last 12 months to carve out its niche in the MMOverse. Happy first birthday, The Secret World! To commemorate this auspicious occasion, I was going to burst out in a traditional song, but then I got an even better idea. I decided to instead do that other mainstay staple that happens at the celebratory gatherings for youngsters: bring out the baby scrapbook! As both new friends and old gather together to help celebrate this milestone, join me in flipping through the the pages of TSW's memory album chronicling the ups and downs of its first year of life. Continue reading Chaos Theory: Reflecting on The Secret World's first year Chaos Theory: Reflecting on The Secret World's first year originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Jul 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hyperspace Beacon: Breaking SWTOR canon one Ewok at a time Posted: 02 Jul 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Lore, Patches, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon, MMORPG Well, BioWare's done it. It dismantled Star Wars canon with one small fuzzy teddy bear. Perhaps that's an exaggeration, but when Star Wars: The Old Republic releases update 2.3, it introduces players to a new possible companion: Treek, the Ewok. That's right: the Ewok. It makes my soul hurt; my inner canon-lawyer is screaming. I don't want to admit that the developers were out of their minds when they created this creature, but they probably were. Maybe this is a call-out to the five year old child in all of us who actually enjoyed watching stuffed animals beat the crap out of Stormtroopers. OK, let's give this furball a chance; maybe she's actually awesome. Let's take a moment to examine her abilities. We can tackle that canon thing later. Players constantly complain about not having enough companions, plus Treek represents some new story content. It's about time that we received new content that doesn't require a Cartel Market purchase. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Breaking SWTOR canon one Ewok at a time Hyperspace Beacon: Breaking SWTOR canon one Ewok at a time originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Guild Wars 2 announces the Bazaar of the Four Winds Posted: 02 Jul 2013 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News Items, Guild Wars 2, Buy-to-Play After four hours of tantalizing speculation, Guild Wars 2 has officially announced the game's next major update, the Bazaar of the Four Winds. Once again, there's something coming in from the sky, but this time it's not a group of pirates that seek to murder you and take all your stuff; it's a group of traders and merchants on the Zephyr Sanctum, bringing a new air of excitement to the normal proceedings of the eponymous bazaar. In a more practical sense, the update offers three new minigames (with one sticking around as a permanent addition), a reward system for account achievements, and a new PvP map. The improved achievement UI should help getting those rewards a bit easier, while the addition of Build and Repair Mastery in WvW should help out players more prone to smashing one another with weapons. So get ready for drinking, racing, exploration, and trading when the update touches down a week from today. Guild Wars 2 announces the Bazaar of the Four Winds originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Jul 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Bazaar of the Four Winds

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