MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Massively Exclusive: Jade Dynasty Regenesis preview

Posted: 13 Nov 2013 09:30 AM PST

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Massively Exclusive Jade Dynasty Regenesis preview
Jade Dynasty, that colorful free-to-play MMO from Perfect World, has a new expansion on the way, and we have the full scoop.

Called Regenesis, the expansion will greatly grow Jade Dynasty's portfolio, including a new Etherkin race, a pair of additional classes, graphics updates, alliance bases, and a reworked beginner experience. You can get all of the details for Regenesis straight from Perfect World's mouth, including the lore, after the break.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Jade Dynasty Regenesis preview

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: Jade Dynasty Regenesis preview originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    WildStar unveils the Esper again

    Posted: 13 Nov 2013 09:00 AM PST

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    The scary one is the bunny girl, yes.  Partly because she's not actually teamed up with the big guys in front.
    While WildStar kicked off its class re-reveals with the most physical class possible, the Esper is the exact opposite. It's all about mind games. Of course, when you're talking about a powerful telekinetic and telepathic dynamo of illusions and mental weaponry, "mind games" still involves blowing things to pieces with remarkable alacrity. So perhaps it's not quite as much of an opposite as you might think from a quick glance.

    The Esper isn't just about creating various telekinetic blades to slice apart foes from afar, of course -- the class can also heal, crowd control, and even move around quickly through various mental abilities. It's a good thing, too, since the class is also limited to light armor and doesn't do well under pressure from a concentrated physical assault. Take a look at the new video past the cut for a better picture of this mental dynamo in action, complete with that golden armor buff you've seen from several screenshots in the past.

    Continue reading WildStar unveils the Esper again

    MassivelyWildStar unveils the Esper again originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Fiesta Online's sixth anniversary celebration includes disco

      Posted: 13 Nov 2013 08:30 AM PST

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      What six-year-old doesn't want a big bash full of fun for his birthday? Well, Fiesta Online is no different, and the free-to-play anime game is celebrating its sixth birthday with a party that lasts the rest of the month! The festivities -- running from Friday, November 15th through Sunday, December 1st -- include a dolled up anniversary town, an open disco floor for getting your groove on, and a new multi-part quest that includes an exclusive Black Archon mount. Players can also dress up as popular townsfolk using new masks, compete in a GM-led dungeon-diving speed game, or collect Murumuru minipets. Get in the celebrating spirit with the anniversary trailer below.

      [Source: gamigo press release]

      Continue reading Fiesta Online's sixth anniversary celebration includes disco

      MassivelyFiesta Online's sixth anniversary celebration includes disco originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Life is Feudal is offering a look at the gameplay via livestream Friday

        Posted: 13 Nov 2013 08:00 AM PST

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        Show me the sandbox! If you've wanted to catch a glimpse of Life is Feudal gameplay, the recently announced medieval sandbox being developed by Bitbox, set some time aside this Friday. At 3:00 p.m. EST on November 15th, devs will be livestreaming some of the gameplay of this project they've been working on for the last three years. Will the live show highlight the terraforming, the crafting minigames, or the target-less combat (which includes aiming for ranged attacks)? And how much of the seamless world can the devs traverse in just one livestream? You'll have to watch on Friday to find out!

        The address for the stream will be announced later, but those who miss it can take note of the game's official YouTube channel in order to watch it afterwards.

        [Thanks to Kuroi for the tip!]

        MassivelyLife is Feudal is offering a look at the gameplay via livestream Friday originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        SMITE video shows off revised He Bo, God of the Yellow River

        Posted: 13 Nov 2013 07:30 AM PST

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        Although not implying that the old He Bo was washed up, SMITE treated the God of the Yellow River to a makeover. A mage who uses water to drown and destroy his enemies, He Bo's new visage better fits his mythology. His skills include the passive Steady Flow (a buff that increases his magical power), and three active attacks: Water Cannon, Water Spout, and Atlas of the Yellow River (previously known as Flood Waters). He Bo's ultimate attack is Crushing Wave.

        Besides the revised god, today's update includes other changes as well, including a semi-transparent mini-map that players can control the opacity of, a new view mode that allows players to follow the action of their teammates even after death, and improvements to the league and god screens as well as the match lobby. For more on this update, check out the official notes. And to hear the lore behind the god He Bo and see a demonstration of his skills, watch the video below.

        [Source: Hi-Rez press release]

        Continue reading SMITE video shows off revised He Bo, God of the Yellow River

        MassivelySMITE video shows off revised He Bo, God of the Yellow River originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          City of Steam: Arkadia offers first screenshots and update

          Posted: 13 Nov 2013 07:00 AM PST

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          Since it bought back the rights to publish City of Steam in English, Mechanist Games has been toiling away at getting the re-christened Arkadia ready for its re-launch. To give players a peek at how things are changing in more than name only, the devs have released a few screenshots showing off the burning house in the Delton intro. Also included in this week's update was news that forum avatars and titles will be restored on the new forums and that CoS: Arkadia would be available as an all-browser gaming experience or via a easy-to-download micro-client that's "just megabytes."

          MassivelyCity of Steam: Arkadia offers first screenshots and update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Age of Wushu releases the Ultimate Scrolls

          Posted: 13 Nov 2013 06:45 AM PST

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          It's as ultimate a swordfight as you can get without someone actually getting chopped up.
          It's time for another big expansion to Age of Wushu, and this time it's all about the Ultimate Scrolls. You might have thought before that you had some pretty great scrolls, maybe even excellent ones, but they're nothing compared to these scrolls. That's reflected in the release of new techniques for all schools, allowing expert martial artists to climb even higher in power. And given all of the challenges you'll be facing in the expansion, you'll need it.

          The crux of the expansion are the teachings of the Helianthus Codex and the Star Vortex, offering players new paths to wisdom. Players can also take part in the new Forbidden Instances deep within each school and explore a new morality-based PvP system, forcing players to determine not only if they will fight but why they will fight. The patch is out today, and you can take a look at the trailer just past the cut.

          Continue reading Age of Wushu releases the Ultimate Scrolls

          MassivelyAge of Wushu releases the Ultimate Scrolls originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          ArcheAge wins big at Korea Game Awards

          Posted: 13 Nov 2013 06:30 AM PST

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          Meanwhile, in the US, Trion Worlds responds to questions about ArcheAge with a mumbled apology and an awkward shuffle off the stage while meeting no one's eyes.
          If you don't know about the Korea Game Awards, you're... well, probably not from Korea. Which is kind of understandable seeing as how this site is published in English and focuses mostly on the western side of the pond. But as you can imagine from the name, these awards are a pretty big deal for a Korean game like ArcheAge... and to its credit, it managed to clean up at the most recent award ceremony.

          Not only did Jake Song's sandpark take home awards in two categories through the show (planning and scenario, graphics), it also took home the big prize of the night as the best game in show. It's good news to see for fans, especially in light of some rumbling that the game hasn't been doing as well in Korea as initially expected. Congratulations to XLGAMES, and here's hoping that the award-winning game comes over to these shores sooner rather than later.

          [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]

          MassivelyArcheAge wins big at Korea Game Awards originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          World of Warplanes takes off into official launch

          Posted: 13 Nov 2013 06:00 AM PST

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          Exactly what it says on the tin, as always.
          If you've been anxiously awaiting the day that World of Warplanes would shed its lingering beta title, today is the day. After a brief delay the game has officially opened its doors for everyone, letting all players download to start dogfighting immediately. If you've played World of Tanks you have a solid idea of the core game concept, but instead of focusing on lumbering land weaponry this is all about high-speed planes engaged in aerial arenas.

          If you already play World of Tanks on a regular basis, the new title hopes to entice you with the new unified account system for both games, allowing you to enjoy some premium bonuses in both titles rather than just in the one. While there's no direct integration between the two (your plane can't fly in and strafe some tanks, for examples) it's still an incentive to get players into the same cockpit that 4.5 million beta testers sat in. So take to the skies, would-be pilots! Then shoot everything else up there that moves, including ducks. Especially ducks.

          [Source: Wargaming.net press release]

          MassivelyWorld of Warplanes takes off into official launch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Daily Grind: What pre-orders were totally worth it?

            Posted: 13 Nov 2013 05:00 AM PST

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            The Daily Grind What preorders were totally worth it
            Every time a studio announces a new game or expansion, there's always one issue that pops up early on for the community to consider: Is it worth it to buy the pre-order?

            EverQuest Next Landmark has its Founder's Packs now available, with all sorts of shinies including alpha access, beta head-starts, gear, inventory, and coveted forum titles. Forum titles, people! That's how the peons know that you're their better!

            Anyway, we were talking about what package might be worth it, and that led our staff into reminiscing about previous pre-orders. Some, of course, were a complete waste of money, but others delivered the goods quite admirably.

            So in retrospect, what pre-orders were totally worth buying?

            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!

            MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What pre-orders were totally worth it? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Nov 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Jukebox Heroes: Ultima X Odyssey's soundtrack

              Posted: 12 Nov 2013 07:00 PM PST

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              Jukebox Heroes Ultima X Odyssey's soundtrack
              Out of all of the MMOs that never made it to launch, Ultima X Odyssey could have really been something. It had a wonderfully stylized look, an immense amount of resources and talent behind it, the Ultima franchise legacy to draw upon, a cool morality choice system, and a pretty strong following. All of that fell apart when EA pulled the plug on the project in 2004, leaving fans in the lurch.

              However, since UXO was far enough along in development, it's one of those cancelled MMOs that has an actual soundtrack (just like Project Copernicus, which I talked about a few weeks ago). Composer Chris Field completed and recorded an album for the game in 2003, and although it was never released, it was distributed into the wild for free, and certain portions of the soundtrack were repurposed for the game Lord of Ultima.

              I have to say that it's a good (possibly even great) score, and it's a shame it didn't get to be in an MMO for us gamers to appreciate. That doesn't mean we can't have a listen right now and speculate on what players in parallel universes might be enjoying right now, yes?

              Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Ultima X Odyssey's soundtrack

              MassivelyJukebox Heroes: Ultima X Odyssey's soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Spacetime debuts Battle Command strategy MMO

                Posted: 12 Nov 2013 06:30 PM PST

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                Spacetime debuts Battle Command strategy MMO
                Spacetime has a new MMO out that isn't saddled with the "Legends" moniker. The studio, which is now called Spacetime Games, announced the release of Battle Command for Android devices.

                Unlike Spacetime's previous games, Battle Command skews away from an RPG and toward a city-building RTS. Players will develop a futuristic base, pump out an army, and fight both the computer and other players in offensive and defensive campaigns. Alliances can be forged as well, linking players together in economic and militaristic support.

                The free-to-play title is currently available on Google Play.

                MassivelySpacetime debuts Battle Command strategy MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                The Stream Team: Launching into EQII's Tears of Veeshan

                Posted: 12 Nov 2013 06:00 PM PST

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                Beta peeks and dev tours are all well and good, but nothing compares to finally getting into the newly launched Tears of Veeshan expansion for yourself on one of your favorite characters. And now launch day is finally here! Massively's MJ is excited to dive into EverQuest II's 10th expansion on her Fury and poke through the newest lands and content. Join us live at 9:00 p.m. for a trip to the Eternal Broodlands, the afterlife of the dragons.

                Game: EverQuest II
                Host: MJ Guthrie
                Date: Tuesday, November 12th, 2013
                Time: 9:00 p.m. EST

                Enjoy our Steam Team video below.

                Continue reading The Stream Team: Launching into EQII's Tears of Veeshan

                MassivelyThe Stream Team: Launching into EQII's Tears of Veeshan originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Get Guild Wars 2 for 30 bucks and give to charity at the same time

                  Posted: 12 Nov 2013 05:30 PM PST

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                  Get Guild Wars 2 for 30 bucks and give to charity at the same time
                  Have you bought Guild Wars 2 yet? If not, there's no time like the present thanks to The Humble Store. The title is currently on sale for $29.99, and the best part is that 10 percent of the proceeds go to charity.

                  Better hurry up, though. The site's ticker says the current deals expire in just under 18 hours.

                  [Thanks burnhaus!]

                  MassivelyGet Guild Wars 2 for 30 bucks and give to charity at the same time originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Here are a couple more EverQuest Next Landmark videos

                    Posted: 12 Nov 2013 05:00 PM PST

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                    Here are a couple more EverQuest Next Landmark videos
                    Still have questions about the newly announced Founder's Packs for EverQuest Next Landmark? SOE has released a couple of videos that may fill in some blanks. The first clip features senior producer Terry Michaels talking about the basics including early access, special items, and the three tiers on offer.

                    The second clip is a teaser trailer of sorts that shows off various in-game vistas as well as some of the game's construction and crafting possibilities.

                    [Source: SOE press release]

                    Continue reading Here are a couple more EverQuest Next Landmark videos

                    MassivelyHere are a couple more EverQuest Next Landmark videos originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      Trion hints at 3.0 in RIFT state of the game letter

                      Posted: 12 Nov 2013 04:45 PM PST

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                      Trion hints at 30 in RIFT state of the game letter
                      RIFT game director Bill "Daglar" Fisher has released a new state-of-the-game post that you'll find front-and-center on the fantasy title's website. The letter contains some very general insights into Trion's development methodology ("keep listening, keep adjusting, keep delivering") as well as a bit of a tease for the game's 3.0 update.

                      RIFT players may in fact be getting some new goodies before the game's next expansion. "Why wait for an expansion pack to release a new crafting profession," Daglar asks. "Why wait to introduce new souls for each of the callings? Why wait to start introducing the story of 3.0?" There are no concrete details as of now, but Fisher says to expect more "as time goes on."

                      MassivelyTrion hints at 3.0 in RIFT state of the game letter originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      Surprise! DCUO Game Update 31 is going live today

                      Posted: 12 Nov 2013 04:30 PM PST

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                      Surprise! DCUO Game Update 31 is going live today
                      DC Universe Online players got a bit of a surprise this afternoon when SOE decided to go ahead with the superhero title's GU31 update. "We apologize for the mid-day downtime, but we simply cannot wait to share this game update with all of our players," SOE explained in its patch note prelude.

                      The update contains extensive art tweaks in preparation for the upcoming PlayStation 4 launch, as well as a smoother pre-30 leveling curve. SOE reduced the amount of experience required between levels eight and 29, and it says that "players within this range may log in and find their level increased."

                      [Thanks William!]

                      MassivelySurprise! DCUO Game Update 31 is going live today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      OMFG: It's a PlanetSide 2 optimization patch

                      Posted: 12 Nov 2013 04:15 PM PST

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                      OMFG It's a PlanetSide 2 optimization patch
                      Now that that's out of my system, let's see. SOE has released phase one of Operation: Make Faster Game for PlanetSide 2. The firm's press release bills today's push as the "first major optimization patch" in the MMOFPS title's short history.

                      OMFG includes "optimized UI, physics, sound, player processing, rendering code, and more." Put another way, you should experience significantly improved performance while you're fragging it up all over Auraxis. In fact, SOE says that frame rate gains will top 30 percent in some cases.

                      [Source: SOE press release]

                      MassivelyOMFG: It's a PlanetSide 2 optimization patch originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        Camelot Unchained dev blog talks leprechauns

                        Posted: 12 Nov 2013 04:00 PM PST

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                        Camelot Unchained
                        City State Entertainment issued a lengthy update this week centered on the Luchorpan race of Camelot Unchained. In the post, CSE walked through the lore of the Luchorpan, a short humanoid race that lists teleportation, ore detection, and distraction as its strengths while confessing slower movement speed, reduced attack chance against tall foes, and line-of-sight restrictions as its weaknesses.

                        The post also included a collection of concept art for the new race showing off possible hair styles and jewelry; the Luchorpan appear to be quite fond of beards and gold.

                        MassivelyCamelot Unchained dev blog talks leprechauns originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        Star Trek Online Season 8: The Sphere energizes today

                        Posted: 12 Nov 2013 03:30 PM PST

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                        Star Trek Online Season 8 The Sphere energizes today
                        As part of what I'm calling "Mega-Update Tuesday," Star Trek Online has released Season 8: The Sphere for brash and bold captains to explore.

                        Season 8's storyline challenges players to explore a Dyson Sphere that could be pivotal in the politics of the galaxy. The sizable update contains a new adventure zone, a reworked Federation tutorial, a new reputation track, a battlezone, queued events, curved hallways, and more goodies for fleets. For a limited time, Cryptic is giving players a free Solanae Tribble to celebrate the new season.

                        Massively's been to the sphere and back to bring you the trailer and an in-depth preview of Season 8, so consider it your captain's duty to check those out.

                        MassivelyStar Trek Online Season 8: The Sphere energizes today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        Former EVE Online GM talks abusive players

                        Posted: 12 Nov 2013 03:00 PM PST

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                        EVE Online
                        "Game companies are not the Political Correctness Police," says Elizabeth Wyand, "and cannot be expected to adjust every player's rotten attitude." Wyand, a former GM for EVE Online, recently posted an interesting blog that discusses problematic players and the responses to their behavior -- one that exposes a fundamental misconception players have about the GMs who enforce the rules.

                        Wyand's main point, though perhaps a bit too easy to misconstrue, is that being a jerk in most games is not against the rules. There is a big difference between threatening someone's life and hurting someone's feelings when it comes to enforcing chat violations or actioning players, and those who choose to offer up personal information about themselves must be aware that certain unsavory individuals will be happy to use it as a weapon at the first available opportunity.

                        The full post is worth a read and includes some real-life examples of complaints Wyand received while manning CCP's support desk. It's worth noting, of course, that every game company has its own set of rules when it comes to harassment; what brings down the banhammer in RIFT might not even be a blip on the radar of a World of Warcraft GM.

                        MassivelyFormer EVE Online GM talks abusive players originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        Lord of the Rings Online 'currently testing' level boost feature

                        Posted: 12 Nov 2013 02:45 PM PST

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                        Screenshot -- Lord of the Rings Online
                        If you're a Lord of the Rings Online fan, you may have heard the rumor that Turbine is considering a feature that would allow players to boost a character to level 50 in exchange for Turbine Points, the game's real-money currency. Well, the rumor appears to be true. We've received confirmation from a Turbine rep stating that level boosting "is a feature that's been requested repeatedly since going free-to-play, and it's something [Turbine is] currently testing."

                        That's all we know so far, but we'll be sure to keep you posted as new information turns up.

                        MassivelyLord of the Rings Online 'currently testing' level boost feature originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                          Starr Long explains Shroud of the Avatar's combat, crafting, and magic

                          Posted: 12 Nov 2013 02:30 PM PST

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                          shroud of the avatar magic and crafting
                          Shroud of the Avatar's initial release client is rapidly approaching and fortunately for fans, the dev team at Portalarium has started to ramp up the flow of information. The latest dump is a lengthy post by executive producer Starr Long that covers the game's magic, combat, and crafting systems in quite a bit of depth.

                          You'll find everything from damage types to base stats to active and innate skills in this particular post. You'll also find info about Shroud's two experience types (crafting and adventuring) as well as its magic skill trees.

                          MassivelyStarr Long explains Shroud of the Avatar's combat, crafting, and magic originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                          Hands-on with Darkfall's Japanese open beta

                          Posted: 12 Nov 2013 02:00 PM PST

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                          Darkfall
                          I'm not very good at aiming. I prefer third person to first person view. Nintendo consoles and games are my drug of choice when I'm not on a PC. I hate duels and arenas. I tend to spend my time gathering resources or crafting and want to kill only mobs or players if I must. On the Bartle test of gamer psychology, I'm 60% Explorer/Socializer and 40% Achiever/Killer.

                          And I loved Darkfall Online.

                          Aside from Aventurine's little, ah, "delays," Darkfall was always a lot of fun for me, even though the guild I joined was established years before I met its members. However, when I moved to Japan, I was region-locked out of the game and unable to check out the revamped Dark Fall: Unholy Wars until recently when the Asian open beta began. I've done my best to keep up to date on the game, but reading information and playing the game are two different things. This was not so much a welcome home for me as it was a returning to my hometown after a few years to find that the buildings and local language have changed. That may sound negative to some people, and it could be, but for me, it was an adventure, which has always been something DF offers me that other games struggle to match.

                          Continue reading Hands-on with Darkfall's Japanese open beta

                          MassivelyHands-on with Darkfall's Japanese open beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                            The Soapbox: Instant leveling and the whining fringe

                            Posted: 12 Nov 2013 01:30 PM PST

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                            Warlords of Draenor
                            Over the weekend at Blizzcon 2013, Blizzard Entertainment announced the fifth World of Warcraft expansion, Warlords of Draenor. The content add-on brings most of the things one might expect from an expansion -- new zone, new features, new quests, new dungeons -- but perhaps most notably includes the option to instantly raise any one of your characters to WoW's current level cap of 90.

                            While you'll still face 10 levels of Warlords of Draenor questing, killing, and fetching if you opt to take the insta-level, the feature has re-ignited the argument among MMO fans as to whether offering players a maxed-out character somehow violates the core rules of the MMO genre. Should developers really provide high-level characters just to get/keep players in the game?

                            The short answer, of course, is "duh." Here's the long answer.

                            Continue reading The Soapbox: Instant leveling and the whining fringe

                            MassivelyThe Soapbox: Instant leveling and the whining fringe originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                              Lord of the Rings Online offers up the Helm's Deep soundtrack

                              Posted: 12 Nov 2013 01:00 PM PST

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                              Music to get gang-rushed by orcs to.
                              All right, Lord of the Rings Online fans, another expansion is coming out really soon. It's only a week away. But maybe you still can't stand the wait. You're logging in and playing the game every night but you need something to make the next few days bearable. That's a bit of an overreaction, but Turbine has you covered with the addition of the Helm's Deep soundtrack to SoundCloud.

                              Yes, you can now listen to the entire soundtrack from wherever, although you won't be able to download the tracks for obvious reasons. The music is the same orchestral score that players have come to expect from the game, with an atmosphere of desperate conflict and impending violence. It's the sort of thing that's very well-suited to a protracted siege and a last stand against Mordor, in other words. Even if you're not a fan of Lord of the Rings Online you can enjoy the soundtrack.

                              MassivelyLord of the Rings Online offers up the Helm's Deep soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                              Blizzard updates World of Warcraft recruit-a-friend program

                              Posted: 12 Nov 2013 12:30 PM PST

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                              World of Warcraft
                              Blizzard Entertainment today unveiled a revamped recruit-a-friend system for World of Warcraft that enables you to choose your own recruit-a-friend reward from a list of exclusive mounts and pets, some previously unavailable in specific regions. The process for inviting friends has also been simplified; invitations can now be sent directly from the in-game social interface. If your friend accepts your invite and creates an account, you'll be officially linked in the RAF system.

                              Linked players receive bonus experience when playing together and can instantly teleport to one another. Additionally, the recruited player can grant the veteran player extra levels. If the friend you recruit purchases WoW and pays for 30 days of game time, you get a month free. If the friend pays for two months of game time, you'll be granted your choice of one of the recruit-a-friend mounts or pets. All previous recruit-a-friend mounts are present, along with a brand-new emerald hippogryph.

                              Check out the new RAF mount and a tutorial on how the system works after the break.

                              Continue reading Blizzard updates World of Warcraft recruit-a-friend program

                              MassivelyBlizzard updates World of Warcraft recruit-a-friend program originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                              Star Citizen breaks $27 million

                              Posted: 12 Nov 2013 12:00 PM PST

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                              Star Citizen
                              Star Citizen, the crowdfunded space sim helmed by Wing Commander creator Chris Roberts, continues to demonstrate its incredible ability to generate enormous sums of money. Roberts today announced that Star Citizen has officially passed the $27 million mark, an amount that makes it possible for Cloud Imperium to add new ships and technology based on the Banu race of tradesmen.

                              Roberts also announced the next stretch goal; at $29 million, Cloud Imperium will add more resources to the single player campaign such as an epic opening battle and more animations.

                              MassivelyStar Citizen breaks $27 million originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                              Lightning strikes Final Fantasy XIV on Thursday

                              Posted: 12 Nov 2013 11:30 AM PST

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                              The storm is here.
                              It's been previewed, it's been discussed, and now it's starting. From Thursday onward, Lightning of Final Fantasy XIII will be arriving in Final Fantasy XIV, offering characters a set of cosmetic armor and weapons straight out of the former game. If you've been wondering exactly how the crossover is going to make any sort of sense with the lore of either game, that's when you can start finding out one way or the other.

                              The full series of quests will be released in stages; the second quest in the chain will be added on November 16th, the third on the 18th, and the final quest on the 20th. All of the quests will be available until December 9th, with a repeat engagement already scheduled for February of next year when Lightning Returns launches in North America. It's also worth noting that everyone who clears the first quest will be able to unlock a special hairstyle when patch 2.1 arrives, so lovers of cosmetic equipment and hairdos alike will want to be in the game on Thursday.

                              MassivelyLightning strikes Final Fantasy XIV on Thursday originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                              Flameseeker Chronicles: How Guild Wars 2 can step up its roleplaying game

                              Posted: 12 Nov 2013 11:00 AM PST

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                              Norn Elementalist in the swamp
                              I'm a roleplayer at heart. My characters have backstories and relationships and hobbies and favorite foods. They have careers beyond "Necromancer" or "Guardian." They have homes and responsibilities. All of them have their own little places as supporting characters in the much larger story of Tyria.

                              Sadly, I've never found Guild Wars 2 to be the most welcoming MMO for RP, mostly because none of the above can really be expressed well through gameplay. There's a lot of emphasis on epic stories and your character influencing the world and being a hero, but because GW2 is such a combat-focused game, it's hard not to feel as though my characters are too busy being epic to have lives outside of tireless badassery. That confuses me because so much of what ArenaNet wants to do ostensibly revolves around making the game world seem more alive, and I can't think of a better way to accomplish that than by giving players the tools to help create that feeling for ourselves.

                              Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: How Guild Wars 2 can step up its roleplaying game

                              MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: How Guild Wars 2 can step up its roleplaying game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                Dungeons & Dragons Online launches Game Update 20

                                Posted: 12 Nov 2013 10:30 AM PST

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                                Dungeons & Dragons Online launches Game Update 20
                                The latest update for Dungeons & Dragons Online is out now, and it features a whole lot of new options for reincarnation. More than you might expect. If you feel you haven't incarnated nearly enough, this update promises to fix that. Sure, there's True Reincarnation, but now you have both Heroic True Reincarnation and Iconic True Reincarnation along with Epic Reincarnation and... you get the idea. There's a lot of new ways to go back to the beginning and start a life over, that's the point.

                                These changes coincide with alterations to the amount of experience needed to level characters on their second lives, making it easier to hit 20 after reincarnation. There are also new quests and alterations to the quest experience rewards, changed so that longer quests are no longer less proportionally rewarding than shorter ones. Plus there are plenty of changes to Enhancements, a new Enhancement tree for Sorcerers and Wizards... you'd probably better just read through the patch notes. There's a lot going on. Too much? You can take a look at our preview of the update to help guide you.

                                MassivelyDungeons & Dragons Online launches Game Update 20 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                Marvel Heroes brings Asgard in with update 2.0

                                Posted: 12 Nov 2013 10:00 AM PST

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                                This isn't really part of the original myths, but it's keeping in the same spirit.
                                One constant to the Marvel universe is that no matter how big your last enemy might be, there's always someone waiting in the wings to make things even worse. Sure, the players of Marvel Heroes have defeated Victor Von Doom and shut down his nefarious plans... but someone was waiting to take all of his power just offscreen, someone with just as much of a chip on his shoulder. Now it's Loki's time to shine.

                                Yes, the next major installment for Marvel Heroes is here now, and it's focusing on all of the Norse goodies you would imagine. That means new items, new enemies, new areas, and the Trickster himself as a playable character. You can log in right now to start adventuring across the Bifrost Bridge into Asgard proper, but if you're at work or something similar, you can ease the wait by taking a look at the new trailer past the break.

                                Continue reading Marvel Heroes brings Asgard in with update 2.0

                                MassivelyMarvel Heroes brings Asgard in with update 2.0 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                Hyperspace Beacon: Putting SWTOR PvP on the right track

                                Posted: 12 Nov 2013 09:30 AM PST

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                                Hyperspace Beacon: Putting SWTOR PvP on the right track
                                This past weekend, a friend of mine came up from Texas. Not only did we talk about our families and such, but we also spent some time talking about Star Wars: The Old Republic PvP. We have both been following the game about the same amount of time, and we are now in the same guild.

                                I argued that PvP in SWTOR is broken. A couple of Advanced Classes excel while the others are just filler or fodder. Even if there were balance in the classes, BioWare does little to encourage the competitive player. In July, I gave a mid-term report card for SWTOR based on Dr. Richard Bartle's assessment of the different types of MMO gamers. As you might guess, SWTOR failed miserably in the "killer" category.

                                As I talked to my friend, we came to the conclusion that SWTOR is a PvE game with a side of PvP. However, given some of the additions coming later this year, I think our Star Wars MMO might raise itself above the F grade I gave it a few months ago. Today, marks the start of Season One PvP, and in less than a month Galactic Starfighter launches. Both of these additions mark significant changes to the perception of game through the eyes of a "killer."

                                Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Putting SWTOR PvP on the right track

                                MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Putting SWTOR PvP on the right track originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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