MMO Updates |
- MMO Burnout: State of Decay
- Some Assembly Required: Want a real living story? Try a sandbox!
- Uncharted Waters Online launches its newest update, Tower of Babel
- Tamriel Infinium: The Elder Scrolls Online's rationale for roleplay
- Wargaming grabs Total Annihilation and Master of Orion IPs
- The Daily Grind: Do you skip quest text in MMOs?
- SOE Live 2013: Thursday keynote announces expansions, release dates, and more
- The Elder Scrolls Online gets analyzed on a minute-by-minute basis
- The Secret World development letter outlines Issues 8 and 9
- Order and Chaos Online comes to Ouya
- PS4 playable at Eurogamer Expo 2013
- The Summoner's Guidebook: Divorcing skill from teaching skills in League of Legends
- Red 5 CEO details Firefall fixes, apologizes for open beta issues
- Prepare for TESO with The Elder Scrolls Anthology
- Neverwinter's companions are real bears (and cats)
- Blizzard's Titan 'unlikely to be a subscription-based MMORPG'
- How to claim your Ewok companion in SWTOR
- The Think Tank: What mistakes did you make when you first started in MMOs?
- The Guild Counsel: How EverQuest influenced guild management and why it's time for change
- Meet WildStar's brilliant, horrible Mondo Zax
- Guild Wars 2 makes dungeons more profitable
- League of Legends steels itself for patch 3.10
- Star Citizen backers proving big publishers 'very, very wrong'
- Face the trials of the Arena in Hearthstone
- Marvel Heroes patch 1.11 breaks game, reverts back
- MechWarrior Online discusses the state of the game and the road to launch
- SOE announces DC Universe Online Sons of Trigon DLC
| Posted: 02 Aug 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Horror, Opinion, Hands-On, Consoles, Post-Apocalyptic, MMO Burnout  The single-player zombie survival game for the Xbox 360 was created by several ArenaNet alumni (including ANet co-founder Jeff Strain) and aims to one day release an MMO version titled Class4. But in the meantime, it's breaking XBL sales records and showing us all how a decaying game premise like zombie survival can gain new life. I grabbed the game at launch to give me an idea of what to eventually expect from Class4, but I was quite surprised at what I found. A console game with a living world? A single-player action RPG with purpose and incentive? That's just what you get when you interrupt traditional console game development with a few designers from this crazy new genre known as MMORPG. Continue reading MMO Burnout: State of Decay
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| Some Assembly Required: Want a real living story? Try a sandbox! Posted: 02 Aug 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Some Assembly Required, Buy-to-Play  As a qualifier, I don't play Guild Wars 2. I have in the past, briefly, but my criticisms today are mostly directed at ANet's marketing folks or whoever is responsible for the Living Story refrain that gets sillier and sillier every time I hear it. Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Want a real living story? Try a sandbox!
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| Uncharted Waters Online launches its newest update, Tower of Babel Posted: 02 Aug 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Game Mechanics, Patches, Endgame, News Items, Free-to-Play  Of course, new levels alone would make for a pretty anemic update, which is why the patch also features three new ships, new equipment, several new quests and discoveries, and new decorations for your dwelling. Players can also experiment with changes to several ship types and cultural contributions, both of which should freshen up the game experience. If you can't wait to dive in, the patch can be downloaded and played immediately. [Source: Netmarble press release]
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| Tamriel Infinium: The Elder Scrolls Online's rationale for roleplay Posted: 02 Aug 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Opinion, Roleplaying, Community Q&A, The Elder Scrolls Online, MMORPG, Tamriel Infinium  I know that chat bubbles are not the only important device in the roleplayer arsenal of storytelling tools, but that doesn't mean that I don't find the irony humorous. And I am extraordinarily happy that developers took the time to answer some very important roleplay-related questions. As someone who happens to be very interested in the ability to roleplay effectively, I'd like to take a few moments to discuss the answers the developers gave. And surprisingly the discussion we had last week about the ESO community-building tools fits in quite well with the theme on the whole. Continue reading Tamriel Infinium: The Elder Scrolls Online's rationale for roleplay
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| Wargaming grabs Total Annihilation and Master of Orion IPs Posted: 02 Aug 2013 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, MMO Industry, New Titles, Free-to-Play, MMORTS, World of Warplanes  CEO Victor Kislyi teased the possibilities that these IP pickups represent: "Total Annihilation and Master of Orion are strategy game classics. Although it's too soon to disclose any details, we are more than willing to give a new lease of life to these games most of us grew up playing. It's exactly where our major focus will be." Beyond that, Wargamming announced that it has opened a new office in Austin, Texas to help smooth the flow of communication and production processes between its teams and studios. The team also announced the inclusion of British planes in World of Warplanes, which you can see in the reveal video after the jump. [Source: Wargaming press release] Continue reading Wargaming grabs Total Annihilation and Master of Orion IPs
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| The Daily Grind: Do you skip quest text in MMOs? Posted: 02 Aug 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Game Mechanics, Lore, MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  Might be it's time to challenge that assumption, especially with games like WildStar with tweetquest philosophies on the horizon. Do you, in fact, skip quest text in MMOs? If you do, would you read it if you knew the text actually mattered to the plot of the game and wasn't just a 500-word essay on why you should kill 10 rats?  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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| SOE Live 2013: Thursday keynote announces expansions, release dates, and more Posted: 02 Aug 2013 04:00 AM PDT Filed under: EverQuest, EverQuest II, Expansions, Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage), EverQuest Next, Dragon's Prophet, Player-Generated Content  Although even more details will be forthcoming as the convention progresses, there were some definite highlights shared by SOE CEO John Smedley, EverQuest Producer Thom Terrazas, and EverQuest II Producer Holly Longdale, including expansion announcements, release dates, and even some EverQuest Next tidbits. Continue reading SOE Live 2013: Thursday keynote announces expansions, release dates, and more
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| The Elder Scrolls Online gets analyzed on a minute-by-minute basis Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Previews, The Elder Scrolls Online  There's also significant discussion (but no related visuals) about TESO's character creation, which the commentators say is not in the same league as most MMO systems. Check it out after the break! Continue reading The Elder Scrolls Online gets analyzed on a minute-by-minute basis
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| The Secret World development letter outlines Issues 8 and 9 Posted: 01 Aug 2013 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, PvE, The Secret World, Dungeons, Buy-to-Play  The former update will feature two new systems, scenarios and augments, while the latter is such a huge undertaking that Funcom will be staggering its release over multiple patches. "Issue #9 will contain the first half of the zone, including an expanded section of Venice and a return to a location that everybody will recognize immediately," he says. Read all the details on TSW's website. [Thanks Olin!]
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| Order and Chaos Online comes to Ouya Posted: 01 Aug 2013 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, Free-to-Play, Consoles  Ouya Chief Executive Julie Uhrman welcomed the title to the Ouya family: "Ouya is excited to be working with Gameloft to bring the wildly popular Order and Chaos Online to the consoles world for the first time. This also marks our first MMO, expanding the gaming possibilities for all Ouya gamers." This isn't technically the first MMO for the Ouya, however. Vendetta Online premiered on the console several months ago. Order and Chaos Online is available for free in the Ouya Discovery store.
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| PS4 playable at Eurogamer Expo 2013 Posted: 01 Aug 2013 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Consoles, The Elder Scrolls Online  The Expo starts Thursday, September 26th, and runs through Sunday, September 29th. Super passes and weekend tickets are already sold out, but Thursday and Friday tickets are still available on the official event website. [Source: Eurogamer Expo 2013 press release]
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| The Summoner's Guidebook: Divorcing skill from teaching skills in League of Legends Posted: 01 Aug 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook  I've said it once and I'll say it again: I'm not a great player. If I were, I'd probably be trying to get on a pro team (or I'd already be on one). Even "good" is debatable. I am kind of emotional when I play, and it messes me up. I tend to surrender vote early, which sometimes brings my team down. I am not a team player. I tend to rely on my superior mechanics. Even my mechanics are bad compared to great players. I tend to think of myself as OK at best and that most people are just awful. However, I also think I'm pretty good at teaching people how to play. LoL has a lot of games-within-a-game to play, and I'm not too bad at explaining how those things work over time. I'd like to think I'm good at giving commentary (both positive and negative) to a player trying to learn. I could be a coach, and I sort of am -- I get to coach all of you guys, after all. Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Divorcing skill from teaching skills in League of Legends
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| Red 5 CEO details Firefall fixes, apologizes for open beta issues Posted: 01 Aug 2013 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Bugs, Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Post-Apocalyptic, Firefall, MMORPG  According to Kern, login errors are resolved, server capacity is raised in all regions, instances are stabilized, tutorials are un-stuck, and calldown menus function again. Additionally, dropships are cruising along the correct flightpaths and the game's crafting and customization menus are smoother, faster, and more responsive. Kern conceded that Firefall isn't perfect (or even finished), but wants players to know that he and his team are working on it: Please accept our apologies for the rocky start, and while we are not past all of it yet, things have improved tremendously and we are working on resolving the remaining issues. Meanwhile, please join us for a series of new content and features that are rolling out regularly. It's been an incredible experience and only made possible by you, the community. Thank you and see you in Firefall.Red 5 has an open beta Firefall tournament scheduled to start this Sunday, August 4th.
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| Prepare for TESO with The Elder Scrolls Anthology Posted: 01 Aug 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, The Elder Scrolls Online  For the first time ever, the firm says, you can own the entire series in one complete collection for PC. Beginning with Arena and culminating with Skyrim's Dragonborn expansion, you can (re)experience all of Tamriel along with a spiffy retail package and five physical maps for $79.99. The Anthology will be available beginning on September 10th, though Bethesda's website notes that you can pre-order it now. We should also point out that Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim are pretty cheap on Steam these days, while Daggerfall and Arena are free downloads.
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| Neverwinter's companions are real bears (and cats) Posted: 01 Aug 2013 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, News Items, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter  This trailer comes along with the addition of a new companion to the cash shop, the Cave Bear. Your ursine companion will obligingly maul your opponents while stealing health and comes with a max rank of 20. There's also a new dye pack, which has very little to do with companions but might help you coordinate your outfit with your feral chums. So check out the full trailer past the break for an idea of what you can do with an animal buddy. Continue reading Neverwinter's companions are real bears (and cats)
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| Blizzard's Titan 'unlikely to be a subscription-based MMORPG' Posted: 01 Aug 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business Models, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Subscription  "We're in the process of selecting a new direction for the project and re-envisioning what we want the game to be," said Blizz CEO Mike Morhaime. "While we can't talk about the details yet, it is unlikely to be a subscription-based MMORPG."
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| How to claim your Ewok companion in SWTOR Posted: 01 Aug 2013 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic  There are two options: the cash shop or in-game credits. For the former, obtaining your Ewok companion is as easy as forking over 2100 Cartel Coins and obtaining a Mercenary Contract quest starter item from the Cartel Market. You'll need to be level 10 to finish the quest and claim your reward. If you prefer to avoid cash shops, you can still obtain the Mercenary Contract via the astromech Legacy Vendor located on your faction's fleet. You'll need a Legacy level of 40 and a million credits. There's a third option, too, and that is buying the contract from another player via the global auction house. There's a bit more info on the process at the official SWTOR website.
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| The Think Tank: What mistakes did you make when you first started in MMOs? Posted: 01 Aug 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Massively Meta, Humor, Miscellaneous, The Think Tank  Which one of us deleted characters without cleaning them out first? Which one of us picked skills based on how cool they sounded? Which one of us thought NPCs were real players? Find out in our embarrassing confessionals just after the jump. Continue reading The Think Tank: What mistakes did you make when you first started in MMOs?
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| The Guild Counsel: How EverQuest influenced guild management and why it's time for change Posted: 01 Aug 2013 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: EverQuest, Guilds, Opinion, EverQuest Next, The Guild Counsel 
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| Meet WildStar's brilliant, horrible Mondo Zax Posted: 01 Aug 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Lore, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Races, Roleplaying, WildStar, MMORPG  Yesterday, Carbine Studios posted an interview with WildStar's most famous Chua, Mondo Zax. Zax is Chief Technologist for the Dominion Research and Experimentation Division (DRED) and a brilliant inventor with a short temper and a malicious streak. You can imagine how the interview turns out for the individual asking the questions. The interview discusses Mondo Zax's family (he probably murdered his siblings) and passions (building guns that melt people's organs) and is worth a read if you're curious about WildStar's main characters and the lore behind them.
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| Guild Wars 2 makes dungeons more profitable Posted: 01 Aug 2013 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, Guild Wars 2, Dev Diaries, Dungeons, Buy-to-Play  "Our goal is to make each and every dungeon path feel enticing and rewarding," Cartwright said. "We also want the rewards structure to encourage players to enjoy a variety of dungeon paths." ArenaNet is also giving champion mobs spiffy loot containers so that players can kill the creatures and pry the boxes from their clawed hands. These containers will be tailored to the type of mob they come from, giving players a strategic choice in choosing champions to slay.
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| League of Legends steels itself for patch 3.10 Posted: 01 Aug 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends  Patch 3.10 begins with a nerf to Elise's spiderling pets and her rappel range. It goes on to make Twisted Fate's passive fit his gambling theme better, make a few jungle tweaks, take runic bulwark out, and add a new mid-level magic resistance item to the game. You can check out the 3.10 preview video after the jump. Continue reading League of Legends steels itself for patch 3.10
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| Star Citizen backers proving big publishers 'very, very wrong' Posted: 01 Aug 2013 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play  Cloud Imperium now sets its sights on $16 million, which will bring about a galaxy-wide arena mode and a laser pistol for each pledger. "Ten years ago, big publishers decided space games weren't profitable," says the Star Citizen website. "And you are proving them very, very wrong!"
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| Face the trials of the Arena in Hearthstone Posted: 01 Aug 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play  After paying the entry fee, either through in-game gold or real cash, players will be presented with three random heroes. Picking one will set you to work building a deck of 30 random cards out of several selections, with each choice being final. Once you start in the arena, you'll try to accumulate as many wins as possible before hitting three losses, earning a more powerful key for better rewards each time you win. The game isn't released yet, but this mode is all the more reason for beta players to keep practicing and aspirants to keep their eyes peeled once it's available for everyone.
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| Marvel Heroes patch 1.11 breaks game, reverts back Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Bugs, Patches, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes  CM Stephen Reid explained the studio's response: "After an evening of working to see if there was a quick solution to the issues we encountered when we brought up game update 1.11 tonight, we've decided to go with 'Plan B:' deploying a patch that essentially 'reverts' the live game to its pre-game update 1.11 state. This is safer and will allow the game to be up and for you to play in the live environment while we diagnose, fix, text, and redeploy game update 1.11." Patch 1.11 contained the Human Torch playable character as well as the new eternity shards system. Gazillion assures players that if they managed to log in last night and purchase the Human Torch, it will be safe and sound when 1.11 returns.
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| MechWarrior Online discusses the state of the game and the road to launch Posted: 01 Aug 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Patches, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, MechWarrior Online  So what comes next? According to Ekman, the development is currently split into two teams, one focused upon major features and the other on content. A revamped UI and the Community Warfare system are the two biggest elements for the feature team, while a new map, Terra Therma, is set to debut next week. Third-person mode is also in testing for those who prefer to see their multi-ton death machines from the outside. Players would be well-served to look at the full letter for more dispatches about the game's future as September creeps closer.
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| SOE announces DC Universe Online Sons of Trigon DLC Posted: 01 Aug 2013 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, DC Universe Online  SOE hasn't announced an official release date beyond fall 2013, but the firm's new press release does detail what looks to be a pretty meaty update. New legends PvP characters Cheetah and Donna Troy are in the works, as is a new shared zone (Gotham City wasteland) featuring daily solo quests. A new alert and three new duo instances are also coming along with new gear and the requisite feats and collections. Sons of Trigon will be free for Legendary members. Premium and F2P players can purchase it via the in-game marketplace, the PlayStation Network, or the DCUO website. [Source: SOE press release]
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