MMO Updates |
- Massively does Geek Week: The top 10 most epic encounters in Guild Wars 2
- The Guild Counsel: EQ Next, guilds, and you
- Gameforge teases TERA Europe political system update
- Scott Hartsman returns to Trion, takes CEO role
- The Think Tank: What goals do you have in your current MMOs?
- Final Fantasy XIV beta phase 4 starts on August 17th
- Crushing MOBA community strife in S2's Strife
- EverQuest Next groups will function without 'the stereotypical tank'
- Massively does Geek Week: Take a scenic tour of SWTOR
- Massively's hands-on with Strife, a new MOBA from S2 Games
- The Daily Grind: Should MMO studios outsource their communities?
- SOE Live 2013: EverQuest II expounds on Tears of Veeshan
- SMITE's newest god Tyr lays down the law
- A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superheroic news for July
- Hearthstone preps for beta
- Piranha Games on why MechWarrior Online is getting a third-person mode
- Neverwinter beefs up skirmishes with Call to Arms
- Dead Island: Epidemic puts zombies back in MOBAs
- SOE Live 2013: Looking at the future of Vanguard
- WildStar discusses the state of the beta and big changes to come
| Massively does Geek Week: The top 10 most epic encounters in Guild Wars 2 Posted: 08 Aug 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Events (Real-World), Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Hands-On, Humor, Guides, Buy-to-Play  Guild Wars 2 is gorgeous. It's as simple as that. Even as it approaches the first anniversary of its launch, we still find ourselves gawking at the painterly landscapes and impressive character models. Lush environments, enormous world bosses, and breathtaking vistas are all accented by an emotionally gripping soundtrack in an immersive experience. To illustrate this, we've compiled a top 10 list of the most epic encounters in Guild Wars 2 based on its environments, animations, and sound design. Temporary content was off the table (with one big exception), so some fan favorites like Super Adventure Box, Molten Weapon Facility, and the Wintersday festivities weren't included. Enjoy our take on the most epic encounters in GW2 in celebration of Geek Week! Continue reading Massively does Geek Week: The top 10 most epic encounters in Guild Wars 2
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| The Guild Counsel: EQ Next, guilds, and you Posted: 08 Aug 2013 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next, The Guild Counsel  It's been less than a week since we first saw the EQ Next reveal, and there are already many guilds mobilizing and preparing for their first adventures together in game. So let's look at a few of the questions related to guilds and the social side of EverQuest Next in this week's Guild Counsel. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: EQ Next, guilds, and you
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| Gameforge teases TERA Europe political system update Posted: 08 Aug 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, TERA  Players will be able to ally themselves with the Velika, the Allemantheia, or the Kaiator (and their faction-specific bonuses), as well as join in the battle for the mysterious mineral Noctenium. Gameforge has released an update-specific teaser trailer that you can view after the break. [Source: Gameforge press release] Continue reading Gameforge teases TERA Europe political system update
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| Scott Hartsman returns to Trion, takes CEO role Posted: 08 Aug 2013 08:45 AM PDT Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items  "We're going to rapidly be laying the groundwork for a new strategy for Trion -- one that's closer to the foundation of how we've had our wins so far, and then extending that base into the enduring success this company can, and will, be," he said, according to a company press release. Hartsman previously served as chief creative officer on RIFT. He succeeds Lars Buttler, who remains a Trion board member. [Source: Trion press release]
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| The Think Tank: What goals do you have in your current MMOs? Posted: 08 Aug 2013 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Massively Meta, Miscellaneous, The Think Tank  I asked the Massively staff members about their own goals they've set for themselves in the MMOs they play. Who's organized and who's scatterbrained? Read on past the cut to find out. Continue reading The Think Tank: What goals do you have in your current MMOs?
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| Final Fantasy XIV beta phase 4 starts on August 17th Posted: 08 Aug 2013 08:15 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, News Items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV  All progress made during phase 4 will carry over to full release, although the level cap for the test phase will be set down at 20. Players will have access to the Arcanist class as well as the first implementation of the game's PvP area and a housing area for testing. The transcript of the live letter also includes more interesting tidbits such as confirmation that Arcanist will not be the only class with multiple jobs. Keep an eye on the transcript for more information as the letter progresses.
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| Crushing MOBA community strife in S2's Strife Posted: 08 Aug 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Game Mechanics, Interviews, MMO Industry, Previews, Opinion, Massively Meta, Events (Massively's Coverage), Miscellaneous, MOBA  Marc Deforest, Chief Executive Officer of S2, spent time with me at a recent press event chatting about how community-driven design is shaping Strife as a game and what it means for the player. By the end, I decided he wasn't a feeder and Strife is probably one of the most thought-out new additions to the genre in years. Continue reading Crushing MOBA community strife in S2's Strife
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| EverQuest Next groups will function without 'the stereotypical tank' Posted: 08 Aug 2013 07:45 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game Mechanics, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next, Sandbox  "The dedicated roles of the holy trinity are not going to be present in Everquest Next. There will be different classes and different builds that are angled towards some of the roles," Michaels explains, "so there might be a class or a build that is more tankish but you don't need that person to accomplish that goal and content. You can go in there without having somebody who is the stereotypical tank." Not only that, but EQN is attempting a new spin on aggro in general. "The combat's very different. There's not the common threat mechanic that people see in MMOs where there is somebody who can generate enough aggro that the NPC will never ever turn away from them," Michaels says. [Thanks bardamu1999!]
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| Massively does Geek Week: Take a scenic tour of SWTOR Posted: 08 Aug 2013 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Lore, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Roleplaying, Humor, Events (Massively's Coverage), Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guides, MMORPG  Despite its struggles since launch, Star Wars: The Old Republic retains a mighty playerbase. In fact, its subscription numbers easily place it in the top five MMOs! No doubt many players stick with the game because of its incredible and iconic vistas and locations. So why not live vicariously through our SWTOR columnist and virtually visit some of those destinations in a humorous flythrough recorded especially for Geek Week? Visit the haunted halls of the Sith Dark Temple on Dromund Kaas, tour the ruins of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, and explore the war-torn wastes of Ilum. But whatever you do, don't mention what happens on the Bounty Hunter's D5-Mantis starship. We're still trying to block that from our minds. Continue reading Massively does Geek Week: Take a scenic tour of SWTOR
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| Massively's hands-on with Strife, a new MOBA from S2 Games Posted: 08 Aug 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Screenshots, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Previews, PvP, News Items, Opinion, Hands-On, First Impressions, Events (Massively's Coverage), Miscellaneous, MOBA  This is Strife, the new free-to-play MOBA from the company that created Heroes of Newerth. The three-lane-based gameplay might look familiar from the top down, but a giant ape is just one of many interesting mechanics Strife is utilizing to help create a more enjoyable and flexible MOBA experience. Oh, and did I mention the pets and the crafting? Continue reading Massively's hands-on with Strife, a new MOBA from S2 Games
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| The Daily Grind: Should MMO studios outsource their communities? Posted: 08 Aug 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business Models, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Global Agenda, Miscellaneous  Well, move over, ArenaNet, because Hi-Rez has topped you: Earlier this week, Hi-Rez decided to shut down its games' official forums and move forum discussion and support to Reddit, which upset not only those people whose skin crawls at the idea of participating on Reddit but also Redditors themselves, who proposed (unsuccessfully) that Hi-Rez employees be banned, essentially, for mooching. So what do you think -- should MMO studios outsource or crowdsource their forums, communities, and support to unofficial and potentially toxic private social media venues? Does it signal an industry shift, an insensitive budgetary decision from Hi-Rez, or a genuine desire to go where the perceived population density is highest?  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: EverQuest II expounds on Tears of Veeshan Posted: 07 Aug 2013 07:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Classes, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage), Community Q&A, Dungeons, Crafting  Besides the revelations at the keynote address, EQII fans had myriad panels, events, and even special play-test sessions to attend to learn about the game. There was a focus on the new Tears of Veeshan expansion overall, a dedicated look at just the Channeler class, a panel just for new systems, and more. Players who missed the Q&A session missed out on learning some specific changes that are being added to the list for the future. Luckily, we've hit these all up and have the highlights for you right here. Continue reading SOE Live 2013: EverQuest II expounds on Tears of Veeshan
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| SMITE's newest god Tyr lays down the law Posted: 07 Aug 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, MOBA  There are some Tyr-related patch notes on Hi-Rez's official SMITE website, and the firm has also released a seven-minute video detailing the character's abilities and lore that you can view after the break. Continue reading SMITE's newest god Tyr lays down the law
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| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superheroic news for July Posted: 07 Aug 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-Play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter  For some reason, July was one of the first months since its announcement that seemed to be fairly quiet for Infinite Crisis; I can only guess that most of the staff was too busy playing to make announcements, which would be the ideal situation. But the other superheroic games on the market certainly didn't quiet down, with Marvel Heroes and Champions Online both making plenty of noise. Even DC Universe Online got in on the action, or tried to until SOE Live wound up being all about one game. But I'm getting ahead of myself. You want a rundown on the super scene from last month? It's all here behind the cut, so come on down and take a look. It's the third month since we moved over to the new format, and I can't help but hope that I'm starting to get into the cadence. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Superheroic news for July
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| Posted: 07 Aug 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Free-to-Play, Mobile, Trading Card Games, Dev Diaries  "What that means is that we're not days away from launching the beta, but we're not months away either," the devs wrote. "At the Hearthstone announcement we committed to going into beta testing before the summer was over, and the team has been pulling out all the stops to make that happen." The upcoming beta will begin in North America, but the team assures residents of Europe, Korea, and Taiwan that their time will come shortly thereafter. While the initial influx of testers will be small, Blizzard will continually expand the testing pool until everyone can join in. The team revealed a special gold card that will be given to any testers who spend money in the beta and said that a recent test of cross-platform gaming between a PC and an iPad went smoothly.
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| Piranha Games on why MechWarrior Online is getting a third-person mode Posted: 07 Aug 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, News Items, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, MechWarrior Online  One of the key elements to understand about movement in MechWarrior Online is that your machine moves more like a bipedal tank with an independently rotating torso. Bullock states that he's watched new players trying the game in first-person and third-person modes, and being able to see how 'Mechs move on the screen instantly translates to better play. He also remains adamant that the inclusion of this new view mode is not meant to unbalance the game by allowing players to see things outside of their normal fields of vision. [Thanks to Dire Phoenix for the tip!]
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| Neverwinter beefs up skirmishes with Call to Arms Posted: 07 Aug 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events (In-Game), Free-to-Play, Neverwinter  Neverwinter's new Call to Arms events will be much more inclusive versions of its standard skirmishes, allowing players from level 5 to 60 to join in the fun. This will not only allow players to revisit skirmish areas they have since outleveled but give everyone great incentive to do so with a ton of rewards. Cryptic is handing out companions, dye packs, and transmutation items among other prizes for completing a Call to Arms event. Joining a Call to Arms is pretty simple, as players can queue up for one just as they can for skirmishes, dungeons, and PvP matches. Cryptic will be rotating through a stable of events, changing up the location and rewards as it does so.
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| Dead Island: Epidemic puts zombies back in MOBAs Posted: 07 Aug 2013 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, New Titles, Free-to-Play, MOBA  Dead Island: Epidemic is an upcoming free-to-play MOBA set in the same gory world as the PC game. Details about the game are scarce, other than the fact that it'll be for the PC, feature three players, and probably contain a thousand bad "brainssss" references. Developer Deep Silver said that more information about the title will be released at Gamescom in a couple of weeks. [Source: Deep Silver press release]
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| SOE Live 2013: Looking at the future of Vanguard Posted: 07 Aug 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Vanguard, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage)  Continue reading SOE Live 2013: Looking at the future of Vanguard
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| WildStar discusses the state of the beta and big changes to come Posted: 07 Aug 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, News Items, WildStar  Donatelli explains that the team hasn't been happy with either incarnation of the Milestone system and has assembled a new system for future testing. Players in testing had complained that neither of the previous incarnations was successful at giving players control over the development of their characters. Kill quests are also going to be changed with the removal of a set count and implementing a sliding progression scale based on overall experience earned. For a more thorough breakdown and a deeper look at beta feedback, take a look at the full community address in this WildStar Wednesday.
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