MMO Updates |
- Neverwinter highlights new paragon paths for Devoted Cleric, Trickster
- Guild Wars 2's latest release will bring together new Fractals
- Eve Online: Rubicon launch-day roundup
- Massively Speaking Episode 273: Expansions and reveals and launches, oh my!
- WildStar gears up for another class livestream this weekend
- The Daily Grind: Should old content be made easier or relevant?
- Not So Massively: Dota 2's Three Spirits, Star Citizen's anniversary, and Diablo II's ladder reset
- BioWare highlights SWTOR's Scout starfighters
- The Stream Team: An eight-year-old's view of Super Hero Squad Online
- Chaos Theory: Surviving a second look at The Secret World's scenarios
- The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot arrives on Steam
- EVE dev blog covers Rubicon ship rebalancing
- Trials of Ascension gives pay model details... sort of
- The Stream Team: Exploring the MMOness of Minecraft with Beau
- SOE president 'can't wait' to see EverQuest Next on PS4
- Neverwinter dev blog unveils Sword Coast Adventures
- The Elder Scrolls Online devs talk war campaigns, lockpicking, and lore in latest Ask Us Anything
- Captain's Log: Arc Q&A with Perfect World's Noel Holmes
- Chris Roberts addresses Star Citizen PS4 hullabaloo
| Neverwinter highlights new paragon paths for Devoted Cleric, Trickster Posted: 19 Nov 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game Mechanics, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Neverwinter  Last week, Cryptic announced Neverwinter's new paragon paths for all classes coming with the Shadowmantle module. This time around, the studio is detailing more of the how and why of those new paths, focusing on the Devoted Cleric and Trickster classes. The Anointed Champion path for Devoted Cleric offers this class more of a healing role, unlike the DPS path currently offered; it gives the cleric a chance to perform last-minute saves with a brief invulnerability bubble that surrounds both the Cleric and a groupmate. With the Whisperknife path, Tricksters get more up close and personal, using new utility skills that mark and debuff a target before the rogue teleports in to inflict damage.
|
| Guild Wars 2's latest release will bring together new Fractals Posted: 19 Nov 2013 08:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Endgame, Guild Wars 2, Dungeons, Buy-to-Play  In addition, Fractals of the Mists will be getting a coat of polish on rewards, progression and Agony resistance. This release will also include the opening of an arena in World vs. World's Obsidian Sanctum, giving players a dedicated space in which to beat on each other mercilessly for the fun of it. Have at you! Enjoy the new trailer after the break. Continue reading Guild Wars 2's latest release will bring together new Fractals
|
| Eve Online: Rubicon launch-day roundup Posted: 19 Nov 2013 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Launches, PvP, News Items, Sandbox  If you can't get strapped into your virtual cockpit because you're stuck behind a desk (or some other meatspace employment cage), you can still prepare yourself for your next trip into space with these in-depth features, ship highlights, and videos below while listening to this newly released Rubicon track. Just think of it as a preflight check. Continue reading Eve Online: Rubicon launch-day roundup
|
| Massively Speaking Episode 273: Expansions and reveals and launches, oh my! Posted: 19 Nov 2013 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Podcasts, MMO Industry, News Items, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous  Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. [iTunes] Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. [Stitcher] Follow the podcast on Stitcher Radio. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 273: Expansions and reveals and launches, oh my!
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| WildStar gears up for another class livestream this weekend Posted: 19 Nov 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, WildStar, Subscription, Buy-to-Play  Wait. That wasn't a hint at all. And it makes sense, as the class was the third class originally known for the game. Not that this would prevent the team from throwing everyone for a loop, of course. But whether or not a loop is thrown, you can make a point of catching the next stream on the game's official livestream channel, which will feature the usual array of gameplay mixed with banter for fans. What's that? You missed the most recent livestream and want to catch up? Well, that's all right, it's archived and viewable just the same. Due to minor technical issues it's broken up into two parts, but that shouldn't be an insurmountable issue. Check out the Esper in all its mentalistic glory just past the break! Continue reading WildStar gears up for another class livestream this weekend
|
| The Daily Grind: Should old content be made easier or relevant? Posted: 19 Nov 2013 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Endgame, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous, Dungeons  Pretty much any game has a backlog of old content that's no longer relevant. An obvious solution is to just make this something that players can explore alone and easily; if no one's going back here as a challenge, wouldn't it make sense to just let everyone cruise on through as a tourist? But there's also the option of making it relevant in some fashion again, some way to make you feel you're not just pounding your head against content that provides a non-trivial but irrelevant challenge. So what do you think? Should old content be made easier for newer players or characters? Should it be made more relevant in some way? Or is it just fine to let it lie and let the people who missed out just keep on missing out?  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!
|
| Not So Massively: Dota 2's Three Spirits, Star Citizen's anniversary, and Diablo II's ladder reset Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Video, Business Models, Events (In-Game), Expansions, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Miscellaneous, Not So Massively, Sandbox, MOBA, Diablo III, Anniversaries, Star Citizen, Path of Exile  Star Citizen is celebrating its first year anniversary with a limited-time relaunch of several previously released limited-edition ships. The game also passed the $27 million mark to unlock the Banu Merchantman ship and revealed its next stretch goal. Details of the huge Dota 2 update that caused Valve to cancel its Diretide holiday event this year have now been released, including information on three new heroes, a new crafting system, and a Coaching feature that lets players virtually watch over their friend's shoulders. And SMITE's latest update visually revamped Chinese character He Bo, God of the Yellow River.
|
| BioWare highlights SWTOR's Scout starfighters Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Classes, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dev Diaries  Hoffman says that Scouts are designed for "speedy gameplay" and evoke "classic Star Wars ships like the A-Wing and TIE Interceptor." In SWTOR's PvP-themed space expansion, Scouts are the fastest ships and therefore are often first into battle. Superior maneuverability makes them effective dogfighters, but not all Scouts are the same. Some are built almost entirely for speed while others boast more powerful weaponry and defenses. Click through the links below to learn more.
|
| The Stream Team: An eight-year-old's view of Super Hero Squad Online Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Massively Meta, Hands-On, Kids, Livestream, The Stream Team  Game: Super Hero Squad Online Host: Larry Everett and Zach Date: Monday, November 18th, 2013 Time: 7:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: An eight-year-old's view of Super Hero Squad Online
|
| Chaos Theory: Surviving a second look at The Secret World's scenarios Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Game Mechanics, Opinion, The Secret World, Dungeons, Chaos Theory, Buy-to-Play  Now that I've indulged in heaping helpings of scenarios over the past two weeks, have my thoughts about TSW's newest feature changed? Has my excitement diminished? Have I had my fill now and am I just looking forward to moving on to Tokyo, or am I still standing at that Council of Venice's console with my bowl held high saying, "Please, sir, I want some more"? To answer, let me show you my snazzy bowl! Then I'll share why I think the scenarios are more than worthwhile in spite of the naysayers. Continue reading Chaos Theory: Surviving a second look at The Secret World's scenarios
|
| The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot arrives on Steam Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, Free-to-Play  Ubisoft Montreal's free-to-play game is available as part of Steam's Early Access program, and while it's free, there are several bundled packages for sale. The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot is a multiplayer action game that incorporates castle-building (and pillaging) and is currently in closed beta. Massively will be taking a closer look at this game in the near future, but in the meanwhile, why not give it a whirl and sound off in the comments?
|
| EVE dev blog covers Rubicon ship rebalancing Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Sandbox, Subscription, MMORPG  CCP today posted a summary dev blog outlining the changes due with Rubicon for each ship type. Interceptors are receiving role bonuses that make them immune to warp bubbles, electronic attack ships are seeing range increases and general upgrades, interdictors are getting increased survivability and higher damage output, and marauders are receiving a complete functionality revision that splits the ship type into two distinct roles. Check out the full post for details. And if you haven't already, have a look at Brendan's EVE Evolved from yesterday so you'll be ready for these and other big Rubicon changes.
|
| Trials of Ascension gives pay model details... sort of Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Business Models, Subscription, Buy-to-Play  In a new post, Forged Chaos outlines some of the preliminary details of its pay model, although the developer allows for enough wiggle room in case of changed minds. As it stands, Trials of Ascension will be playable as a one-time purchase, although adding on a monthly subscription (30 days of which is included in the box) opens up more races, the discovery of innovations, and the ability to be a lord, lady, king, or queen. The team is also "considering" a skill cap for non-subbers. A loyalty program will reward faithful subscribers with fun goodies like a treasure map and t-shirt. There will be other ways for you to spend some dough in Trials of Ascension, including purchasing Writs of Time, acquiring permanent race access, and making a custom crest. [Thanks to Android for the tip!]
|
| The Stream Team: Exploring the MMOness of Minecraft with Beau Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Video, Game Mechanics, Opinion, Casual, Virtual Worlds, Livestream, Sandbox, Housing, The Stream Team, Buy-to-Play  Game: Minecraft Host: Beau Date: Weekday, November 18th, 2013 Time: 4:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Exploring the MMOness of Minecraft with Beau
|
| SOE president 'can't wait' to see EverQuest Next on PS4 Posted: 18 Nov 2013 12:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Consoles, Free Realms, DC Universe Online, EverQuest Next, PlanetSide 2, MMORPG  Smedley cited the PS4's eight gigs of ram and connection to the PlayStation Network as major strengths for the SOE development team, claiming that developing for PS4 is like "developing on a really super high-end PC." SOE is no stranger to console MMOs; the studio brought both DC Universe Online and Free Realms to PlayStation 3 and is porting both DCUO and PlanetSide 2 to PS4 with the former already live.
|
| Neverwinter dev blog unveils Sword Coast Adventures Posted: 18 Nov 2013 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Neverwinter  So you're a mighty adventurer of Neverwinter who has travelled the lands of Faerûn and amassed a small army of companions to accompany you on your travels, but what exactly do those companions get up to when they're not fighting by your side? Well, the folks at Cryptic Studios are giving you the chance to find out with the introduction of a new Neverwinter Gateway game called Sword Coast Adventures. Sword Coast Adventures is described as "a press-your-luck, dice-matching game in which players send a party of 4 companions into a series of random, mysterious locations to earn rewards and gain companion experience." Players assemble a team of four companions and send them on a perilous adventure that consists of a number of challenges. Challenges are completed by rolling a character's power dice (which are unique to each companion) and matching symbols on the dice to those presented by the challenge, which should be a familiar mechanic to fans of tabletop games such as Elder Sign. Completing challenges rewards players with treasure and/or companion XP, and the overall goal is to complete the final challenge and complete the adventure. For the full run-down on the rules and mechanics of Sword Coast Adventures, check out the full post at Neverwinter's official site.
|
| The Elder Scrolls Online devs talk war campaigns, lockpicking, and lore in latest Ask Us Anything Posted: 18 Nov 2013 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, News Items, Dev Diaries, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription  It's time once again for another installment of The Elder Scrolls Online's biweekly Ask Us Anything feature, in which the folks at ZeniMax Online tackle a number of questions from information-hungry fans. This round of questions is a true grab bag, and topics run the gamut from PvP mechanics and lockpicking to character naming and a few lore tidbits to boot. On the character naming front, many players (especially those fond of Argonians and Khajiit) will be pleased to know that character names will be able to include "a maximum of four hyphens, apostrophes, or spaces in total," so players should have plenty of room for creative and lore-appropriate (or not) names. The devs also clarify that war campaigns will feature a "soft cap to limit the number of participants from one alliance," so no one faction will have the advantage of overwhelming numbers. Other highlights include details on how lockpicking will function in ESO, plus a couple of lore questions that shed some light on the presence (or lack) of characters such as M'aiq the Liar and the vampire Serana. For all the fine details, check out the full post at ESO's official site.
|
| Captain's Log: Arc Q&A with Perfect World's Noel Holmes Posted: 18 Nov 2013 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Captain's Log  So I did the only thing that I could: I contacted the representatives of Perfect World to gain some clarification to the blog and hopefully ease my concerns. Instead of a shoving a palm to my face, Perfect World made available Noel Holmes in the hopes he would be able to clarify not only my concerns but also concerns borne by other Star Trek Online players as well. Continue reading Captain's Log: Arc Q&A with Perfect World's Noel Holmes
|
| Chris Roberts addresses Star Citizen PS4 hullabaloo Posted: 18 Nov 2013 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, New Titles, News Items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play  "Star Citizen IS a PC game. It will NEVER be dumbed down for a lesser platform. We will NOT limit the input options or supported peripherals to the lowest common denominator. We will NOT pass on features and technology just because they will only run on some hardware configurations."So lay those console fears to rest; the PC is the platform for Star Citizen. Is there some snippet of possibility that the game could also be available via a console at some point in the future? Roberts answered yes: He'd consider it if certain conditions were met. He'd require that his devs be able to update their code without any restrictions and the community be able to interact freely across platforms.
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Massively To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
