MMO Updates

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• Bless blasts the airwaves with a trove of new trailers
• 38 Studios assets auction dated for November 14
• LotRO offering Helm's Deep beta codes on Facebook
• Star Citizen's AMD trailer sizzles
• Looking for Guild: Defiance, FFXIV, GW2, and more
• The Daily Grind: Which MMO crafting system is your favorite?
• The Think Tank: How do you feel about quick-leveling promotions?
• The Guild Counsel: You screwed up, now what?
• The Summoner's Guidebook: LoL World Championships finally enter the quarter finals
• The Secret World slashes price 50% on Steam and Amazon [Updated]
• EVE Online: Rubicon coming November 19th
• Star Citizen crowdfunding campaign breaks $20 million
• Lord of the Rings Online details Minstrel changes in Helm's Deep
• Sci-fi ship chart compares size of ships from EVE, Star Wars, and more
• Blizzard drops details on Hearthstone beta wipe
• CCP offers more support for fan-run EVE Vegas event
• World of Warplanes adds British warbirds
• Dragon's Prophet EU trailer introduces new region of Aluntia

Bless blasts the airwaves with a trove of new trailers Posted: 27 Sep 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items What in seven trailers is that? Why, it just happens to be seven trailers. No, make that eight! Neowiz is definitely no stranger to sharing the HD visual beauty of Bless with fans, from tantalizing trailers to galleries galore. But this time around, the company is offering a look at many aspects of the game all at once, releasing a number of trailers showcasing special effects in combat, clothing and armor design, the real-time day/night cycle, the seamless world, the sky box, and more. Get a gander at the world of Bless in the combat, clothing, and seamless world trailers after the break, then head on over to Steparu.com to see the rest. Continue reading Bless blasts the airwaves with a trove of new trailers Bless blasts the airwaves with a trove of new trailers originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Sep 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Combat trailer, Seven trailers

38 Studios assets auction dated for November 14 Posted: 27 Sep 2013 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: MMO Industry, Miscellaneous We first got word of an auction to sell off 38 Studios' assets for Project Copernicus earlier this month, but now we have an actual date for the auction: November 14 and 15. This sale will include the Amalur universe IP and all merchandise and sequel rights to the single-player Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, as well as IP rights to the properties of Big Huge Games. If you'd like to buy yourself an MMO, this might be the time. Head over to the auction page for more information. 38 Studios assets auction dated for November 14 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Sep 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Gamasutra

LotRO offering Helm's Deep beta codes on Facebook Posted: 27 Sep 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, News Items, Free-to-Play, Promotions If all the talk about Minstrels, Hunters, and more epic story is making the month-and-a-half wait for Lord of the Rings Online's upcoming expansion unbearable, we offer a bit of relief. Turbine's latest weekly newsletter has just announced that Helm's Deep beta codes are available to those who "like" the game on Facebook. These beta codes are limited, however, so it is a first-come, first-served scenario; if you want the chance to get in early and experience a bit of Helm's Deep before the rest of the masses, head on over and click away. [Source: LotRO weekly newsletter] LotRO offering Helm's Deep beta codes on Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Sep 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Citizen's AMD trailer sizzles Posted: 27 Sep 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen There's no question that Star Citizen is truly the crowdfunding king; it took the crown long ago. But that doesn't mean Cloud Imperium Games is resting on its laurels -- or pile of funds as it were. No, the team takes that support and gets right back to work creating a game that many are eagerly anticipating. And you can see just where some of that financial support is being used in the game's latest video. Created for Chris Robert's AMD presentation, this trailer is dubbed Sizzle Reel. Watch it for yourself and tell us if you think the moniker fits. Continue reading Star Citizen's AMD trailer sizzles Star Citizen's AMD trailer sizzles originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Looking for Guild: Defiance, FFXIV, GW2, and more Posted: 27 Sep 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Guilds, Miscellaneous, Looking for Guild Wow. When I first pitched the idea for this column, I figured we'd get a bit of interest, but I never imagined we'd get as swamped as we did. It seems that a lot of you out there are really in need of a good guild! For this first "real" week of the column, I'm going to go ahead and list every submission we received so far because I think everyone should get their info out there, and the sooner the better. If you're a guild leader and you find someone in this list who interests you, just send me an email showing that person's submission at shawn@massively.com with the subject line "LFM - (game name)" and I will pass along the contact info. And most importantly, if you find a guild or guildie through the column, let us know! And now, the list! Continue reading Looking for Guild: Defiance, FFXIV, GW2, and more Looking for Guild: Defiance, FFXIV, GW2, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Sep 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Which MMO crafting system is your favorite? Posted: 27 Sep 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Final Fantasy XIV, Crafting, Subscription I've been doing a lot of crafting and gathering in Final Fantasy XIV lately, and while I'll stop short of any best-ever hyperbole, let's just say that I like it a lot. The crafting in particular is a cut above the usual collect-resources-press-button-go-walk-the-dog MMO norm, and the gathering is similarly involving to the point where you can't AFK it because you're actively engaged and making choices. Speaking of best-evers, though, that would make for an interesting Daily Grind question. Wouldn't you agree? So, to make it official, which MMO has your favorite crafting and/or gathering mechanics? 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: Which MMO crafting system is your favorite? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Sep 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Think Tank: How do you feel about quick-leveling promotions? Posted: 26 Sep 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Miscellaneous, The Think Tank With TERA's new level-58 boost for brand new characters, Guild Wars 2's automatic level 20 for new characters last month, and EverQuest II's upcoming free level-85 heroic characters, it seems that studios are finding new ways to push players through the early content and into the end game. Games like World of Warcraft and Lord of the Rings Online have streamlined the starting zones, but these new promotional events are much more straightforward and obvious. So how does the Massively crew feel about this? Should this type of advancement be available only during special events? Should level boosters be rewards for veteran loyalty only? Do you consider double- and triple-XP weekends the same thing? Or is it all nonsense as we should all play these games as originally intended? Continue reading The Think Tank: How do you feel about quick-leveling promotions? The Think Tank: How do you feel about quick-leveling promotions? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Guild Counsel: You screwed up, now what? Posted: 26 Sep 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel When you're a guild leader, it can often feel like you're under the spotlight, and everything you do gets scrutinized by the guild. The leader is looked upon as the one to carve out a path, set goals, and figure out a way to get the guild to reach them. Every day, a guild leader has to make dozens of decisions, whether it's deciding who to invite, determining loot allocation, scheduling guild events, or making command decisions during a battle. No one is perfect, and it can be very hard to admit mistakes. If you're trying to build the trust of the guild, it might feel as if admitting a mistake will undermine your efforts or that the guild will lose faith in your leadership. So what should you do if you make the wrong call? Let's take a look in this week's Guild Counsel. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: You screwed up, now what? The Guild Counsel: You screwed up, now what? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Summoner's Guidebook: LoL World Championships finally enter the quarter finals Posted: 26 Sep 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Events (Real-World), PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook I will be completely honest. I was really getting sick of the group stage of the League of Legends Season 3 World Championships. It was dragging on for too long, especially when the advancing teams had been virtually locked in well in advance. Only Gambit and Ozone were in a position to actually fight for a top spot. OMG, SKT1 and Fnatic had locked in their spots and we were subjected to matches where pros ran goofy compositions and stopped trying to win. Now we're in the actual tournament portion of the event, and the eight teams in the top spots all really deserved their places. With the exception of one matchup, all of the quarter final matches were extremely close, nail-biting games. It is easier for for me to point out which matches are not worth watching than it is to point out the really incredible matches because the majority of the games were utterly fantastic. I was on the edge of my seat constantly. Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: LoL World Championships finally enter the quarter finals The Summoner's Guidebook: LoL World Championships finally enter the quarter finals originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Secret World slashes price 50% on Steam and Amazon [Updated] Posted: 26 Sep 2013 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, The Secret World, Promotions, Buy-to-Play How many of you have heard (or said!) this before: "I'll play The Secret World as soon as it goes on sale." Well everyone who has uttered this, get ready to join the Illuminati, the Dragons, or the Templars because that day is today! Steam is offering TSW for 50% off as part of its daily deals. Until Saturday the 28th at 1:00 p.m. EDT, folks can get the conspiracy-laden game for just $14.99. This one-time price includes full access to the main game as well as Issues #1 through 4. As a bonus, it's the perfect time for players to get in on the beginning of TSW's first multi-month event, The Whispering Tide, and be a part of ushering in the Tokyo expansion. But remember: While this event is long-term, the sale is not, so act fast if you want in on the action. Want a sneak peek before you decide? Then watch Massively TV tonight at 7:00 p.m. EDT for a two-hour stream of the event and more. [Updated to include 50% off sale for digital download on Amazon.] [Thanks to Balsbigbrother1 for the tip!] The Secret World slashes price 50% on Steam and Amazon [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: TSW Steam sale, Amazon.com sale

EVE Online: Rubicon coming November 19th Posted: 26 Sep 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Sandbox EVE Online is getting ready to start changing the rules and paving the way to a journey beyond the stars. CCP Games announced that the first step to this bold new vision will be the game's 20th expansion, Rubicon. The studio also surprised players by scheduling the expansion for earlier than normal, dating it for November 19th. Rubicon marks a turning point in the game's vision, as the devs are centering this and upcoming expansions around a core theme of space colonization. "What if we weren't bound to the universe?" the studio teased on the Twitch TV reveal. The expansion will include features such as putting customs office abilities it in the hands of the players, deployable structures such as siphon units and depots, Sisters of Eve faction ships, a fix to EVE's warp acceleration, transforming spaceships, and plenty of ship balance changes. EVE Online: Rubicon coming November 19th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: CCP Twitch, Rubicon

Star Citizen crowdfunding campaign breaks $20 million Posted: 26 Sep 2013 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen The runaway locomotive that is Star Citizen's crowdfunding campaign is still chugging along at full speed, it would seem. In its most recent press release, Cloud Imperium Games has proudly announced that the game's faithful backers have broken the $20 million mark. As if that wasn't insane enough, the studio notes that of that $20 million, $10 million was raised in the past four-and-a-half months alone. The studio's CEO, Chris Roberts, is quite pleased -- and more than a little surprised -- by the campaign's success. "Honestly, we never dreamed we'd reach this point so quickly," he says. Of course, it wouldn't have happened at all without the game's dedicated fans who Roberts calls "the best community in all of gaming." Despite this monumental milestone, Cloud Imperium's gaze is fixed firmly ahead. The press release promises "plenty of game updates" in the near future, including "some surprise announcements" coming on October 10th. [Source: Cloud Imperium Games press release] Star Citizen crowdfunding campaign breaks $20 million originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lord of the Rings Online details Minstrel changes in Helm's Deep Posted: 26 Sep 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries Lord of the Rings Online players are almost certainly foaming at the mouth for the game's upcoming Helm's Deep expansion. Unfortunately, it's not going to be dropping for another month and a half. In the meantime, the kind folks at Turbine are hoping to satiate some of that hunger (or perhaps further whet fans' appetites) with some details on the myriad changes the expansion will bring. Specifically, the most recent dev blog is dedicated to taking a closer look at Middle-earth's most eminent musician, the Minstrel. Minstrels have always been a versatile class, and the new trait lines arriving with Helm's Deep continue that tradition. Minstrels who choose to follow the Watcher of Resolve trait line will be masters of raising morale thanks to a number of traits that buff outgoing heals, increase critical heal potency, and reduce cast times. Those who prefer causing wounds to closing them will find their calling in the Warrior-Skald line, which can turn even the most timid troubadour into a battle-hardened balladeer specializing in single-target damage. And finally, Minstrels who wish to embolden their allies and enfeeble their foes will be right at home in the Protector of Song trait line, which focuses on bestowing powerful buffs and debuffs to shift the tide of battle. Lord of the Rings Online details Minstrel changes in Helm's Deep originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Lord of the Rings Online -- Minstrel Class Changes in Helm's Deep

Sci-fi ship chart compares size of ships from EVE, Star Wars, and more Posted: 26 Sep 2013 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Culture, Star Wars: The Old Republic Have you ever been curious about the size comparisons between an Amarr Avatar-Class Titan from EVE Online and a Universe-Class Mass Conveyor from Warhammer 40K? You have?! Well, you're in luck because DeviantArt user ~DirkLoechel has been assembling one of the largest and most comprehensive size-comparison charts for sci-fi ships. The chart, which is still an ongoing project, spotlights the ship sizes from many of the most popular sci-fi universes out there, including Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, and more than a dozen more. Heck, it even has the Red Dwarf on there. Head over the ~DirkLoechel's page to see more from this monstrous chart. [Editor note: Dirk Loechel has expanded on the original done by Dan Carlson.] Sci-fi ship chart compares size of ships from EVE, Star Wars, and more originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: DeviantArt page

Blizzard drops details on Hearthstone beta wipe Posted: 26 Sep 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Trading Card Games Blizzard Entertainment's Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft collectible card game is currently in closed beta, and those folks fortunate enough to have a beta key are about to see big changes to their accounts. Today Blizzard outlined plans to completely wipe the progress of all beta participants -- gold, experience, class levels, unlocked cards, and arcane dust quantities will all be reset. This wipe isn't unexpected. Blizzard noted at the beginning of beta that data would be reset at some point during the testing phase. The wipe coincides with what Blizz is calling a "pretty major" beta patch, the details of which will be revealed in the near future. Once the wipe goes through, testers in Hearthstone will be effectively starting the game as new players. For those that spent real money on card packs, Blizzard is reimbursing the value via in-game gold. Those players will be able to purchase the same number of packs and arena tickets without paying a second time, though replacing the exact cards is not a guarantee due to the random nature of the packs. This is the last planned reset for Hearthstone; Blizzard is aiming for a full release before the end of the year so no further progress wipes are expected through beta and launch. Blizzard drops details on Hearthstone beta wipe originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: News Post

CCP offers more support for fan-run EVE Vegas event Posted: 26 Sep 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Culture, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Sandbox EVE Online players do more than just create one of the most interesting MMO worlds out there; they also organize some of the largest fan gatherings outside of Iceland's Fanfest. EVE Vegas, organized by EVE pilot Zapawork, will be held from October 18-20 this year, and CCP promises more official support than ever before. This includes eight CCP-run panels, and Oculus Rift HD presentation for Valkyrie, PvP tournaments, and more. Check out the recent dev blog for more information on what to expect from this year's EVE Vegas. CCP offers more support for fan-run EVE Vegas event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EVE Vegas dev blog

World of Warplanes adds British warbirds Posted: 26 Sep 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, New Titles, Patches, War, Free-to-Play, World of Warplanes The Royal Air Force warbirds are invading World of Warplanes today, introducing the free-to-play MMO to classics like the Spitfire, Skua, and Javelin. This beta version 0.5.3 also adds new advanced mouse control options, new achievement and crew skills, and 11 gift and premium planes. You can sign up for the beta on the official site. [Source: Wargaming press release] World of Warplanes adds British warbirds originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dragon's Prophet EU trailer introduces new region of Aluntia Posted: 26 Sep 2013 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, New Titles, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dragon's Prophet Dragon's Prophet may barely be (officially) out of the gate, but Infernum isn't going to let a little thing like launch slow it down. The Berlin-based publisher just released a new video that shares the story of approaching dangers that are coming to the European shores of the game and shows off a bit of the new region of Aluntia. What dangers will players meet in this new land? How about enormous orcs and seething streams of lava... and a little thing like the followers of Kronos trying to resurrect that legendary villain. On the plus side, there will be new dragons available for players to tame and train as well! More details about the upcoming patch and the new region will be coming over the next few days. Until then, get a glimpse of these upcoming dangers in the trailer after the break. [Source: Infernum Productions press release] Continue reading Dragon's Prophet EU trailer introduces new region of Aluntia Dragon's Prophet EU trailer introduces new region of Aluntia originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Sep 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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