MMO Updates

---

• Disney announces Star Wars: Attack Squadrons
• Lord of the Rings Online forgoes expansions in 2014
• Flameseeker Chronicles: We will control Guild Wars 2's horizontal and the vertical
• Fight for evil in Inferno Legend's open beta today
• Massively Speaking Episode 277: The naughty Nexus
• The Daily Grind: How do you relax in-game?
• Aventurine details Darkfall's new Sinspire Cathedral dungeon
• Here's the skinny on SWTOR's Life Day seasonal event
• Not So Massively: Novus AEterno's kickstarter, LoL's Yasuo spotlight, and Elite's first alpha test
• Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's reputation systems for the new player
• The Stream Team: Dungeon city in World of Warcraft
• TUG gets a new website
• Star Trek Online getting another expansion 'late in 2014'
• Elder Scrolls Online shows concept art of the emperor's armor
• Learn more about WildStar's Engineer with this livestream replay
• DayZ standalone releases alpha on Steam
• Guild Wars 2 players pledge oath to game in video
• Chaos Theory: A few useful mods for The Secret World
• MechWarrior Online's clan warfare bundles now available for pre-order
• The Stream Team: Return to EverQuest II's Highkeep
• The Nexus Telegraph: Talking a bit about WildStar's beta
• Women are a major marketing target for Ever, Jane

Disney announces Star Wars: Attack Squadrons Posted: 17 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Galleries, Trailers, Video, New Titles, PvP There's a new online multiplayer Star Wars game coming to a computer near, near to you. Today, Disney Interactive announced that it's been working on Star Wars: Attack Squadrons, a space combat title for 2014. Star Wars: Attack Squadrons will put pilots into the cockpits of classic attack craft like the X-Wing and TIE Interceptor, fighting against each other in 16-player environments. Disney promised plenty of ships and iconic locations for the game. You can sign up for the beta that will start next year as well as check out screenshots and the announcement trailer below. Continue reading Disney announces Star Wars: Attack Squadrons Disney announces Star Wars: Attack Squadrons originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lord of the Rings Online forgoes expansions in 2014 Posted: 17 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries Hey LotRO -- no expansion for you! In a letter to players today, Lord of the Rings Online's Executive Producer Kate Paiz announced that the game would not have any expansions in 2014. That doesn't mean that the game won't have any additional content, however; instead of one big avalanche of content at once, the goal is to "focus on a steady flow of content throughout the year." The content that rolls in over the coming months will be free for VIP subscribers. Paiz continues on to ask for suggestions about inventory and festivals as well as touches on housing, noting that that particular conversation will be continued throughout the year. Lord of the Rings Online forgoes expansions in 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Producer's letter

Flameseeker Chronicles: We will control Guild Wars 2's horizontal and the vertical Posted: 17 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game Mechanics, Endgame, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles, Buy-to-Play While we're all exchanging our ugly knit goods for better presents, the official Guild Wars 2 forums are hard at work on the final collaborative development initiative thread of 2013. The topic revolves around horizontal and vertical progression in GW2, one of the more divisive issues frequently discussed by the playerbase. We're forever debating the merits of both styles of progression and trying to determine which of them has a place in the game. According to ArenaNet's Studio Design Director Chris Whiteside, there's room for both, and he'd like to get us brainstorming about how they can work for us. My brain is pretty stormy at the best of times, so grab an umbrella and let's talk progression. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: We will control Guild Wars 2's horizontal and the vertical Flameseeker Chronicles: We will control Guild Wars 2's horizontal and the vertical originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fight for evil in Inferno Legend's open beta today Posted: 17 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Mobile If the idea of jumping in and playing through a game as a traditional villain in Inferno Legend piques your interest, you'll be happy to know that the multi-platform game opens up its beta doors today to let everyone in. Built on the Unity 3-D engine, this game allows players to select from five races of devils and fight against the so-called "just" authority on PC, Android, and iOS. Other features include hundreds of pets (each with different skills and attributes), a player arena, random battles, an exploration system (that unlocks at level 30), and a "Miracle" system. If you need another incentive to check out Inferno Legend, Gamebox is giving players free gift codes for rewards such as rare skills, gold, and gems. Get a taste of the action in the open beta launch trailer below. [Source: Changyou press release] Continue reading Fight for evil in Inferno Legend's open beta today Fight for evil in Inferno Legend's open beta today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively Speaking Episode 277: The naughty Nexus Posted: 17 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Podcasts, MMO Industry, News Items, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous We're starting to turn our gaze to 2014 with this episode of Massively Speaking, as Justin, Eliot, and Bree discuss a couple of alphas, a couple of betas, and a rather interesting launch date that will be sure to shape the year to come. 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 277: The naughty Nexus Massively Speaking Episode 277: The naughty Nexus originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The Daily Grind: How do you relax in-game? Posted: 17 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Game Mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous It's no secret that I'm kind of big on roleplaying. So you might think that when I log in to Final Fantasy XIV or World of Warcraft or whatever I'm playing on a given day that roleplaying is how I chill out... but you'd be wrong. Roleplaying is just as high-intensity for me as challenging content. How do I relax? Dailies. Repeatable quests. Just slowly working up to better gear or more money or otherwise zoning out and enjoying myself. Yes, it's all automatic and a little boring, but it's the equivalent of sitting in front of the television and spacing out. I'm not forced to think about it too much, and next thing I know it's time for something else and I've got a pile of money and stuff. Everyone has their own ways of relaxing. For some people, roleplaying is that way. Some people find high-level dungeon relaxing. Some people craft or just chat with others. So how do you relax in-game? What's your low-stress way of just derping around? 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: How do you relax in-game? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Aventurine details Darkfall's new Sinspire Cathedral dungeon Posted: 16 Dec 2013 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, PvE, Sandbox, Dungeons, Subscription Aventurine has designed a new dungeon for Darkfall. It's called Sinspire Cathedral and it's "an epic dungeon in size, difficulty, as well as denizens," according to the company's latest dev blog. If your party manages to survive Sinspire's "dynamic door system" and make it to the grand finale, you'll encounter Sir Davosh the Damned, a "monster of the highest difficulty that uses many new and devastating custom skills." The dev blog offers further details on Sinspire as well as some blurbs about lore and general changes from Darkfall's latest patch. Aventurine details Darkfall's new Sinspire Cathedral dungeon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Dev blog

Here's the skinny on SWTOR's Life Day seasonal event Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), MMO Industry, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic Looking for info about Star Wars: The Old Republic's Life Day seasonal event? Look no further than the latest BioWare dev blog. It's got all the details on the "tawdry and potentially dangerous" festivities that encourage "activities unbecoming of an Imperial citizen, including but not limited to dancing in inclement weather, singing unpatriotic carols, [and engaging in] non-violent physical contact with wookiees." Here's the skinny on SWTOR's Life Day seasonal event originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Announcement

Not So Massively: Novus AEterno's kickstarter, LoL's Yasuo spotlight, and Elite's first alpha test Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, EVE Online, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Mobile, Casual, MMORTS, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, Sandbox, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Elite: Dangerous, Path of Exile If you've ever wanted an MMO that's part Homeworld and part EVE Online, check out upcoming single-shard MMORTS Novus AEterno. The game recently smashed its $75,000 US goal on Kickstarter and has managed to bypass Steam Greenlight to secure a Q1 2014 PC release. Previously kickstarted sci-fi sandbox Elite: Dangerous has now entered alpha testing with the release of an impressive-looking singleplayer combat test. League of Legends released a spotlight video on new champion Yasuo, who features an insane critical hit chance, a spammable knock-up ability, and a wind wall that blocks all projectiles and spells. Dota 2's annual Frostivus celebrations were taken over this year by the interesting new Wraith Night co-op horde game mode. SMITE developer Hi-Rez Studios offered to help players hit by YouTube's recent automated copyright sweep by providing written permission to use its game footage, and old character Kali got a complete revamp. Mobile MOBA Arena of Heroes is now officially out of beta with the release of its first version for the iPad. Diablo III's Reaper of Souls closed beta has now officially begun and test versions of the new loot system and paragon patch are now on the public test realm. And Path of Exile fans won't have long to wait for the big PvP update, as it should be starting after content update 1.0.4 on December 22nd. Continue reading Not So Massively: Novus AEterno's kickstarter, LoL's Yasuo spotlight, and Elite's first alpha test Not So Massively: Novus AEterno's kickstarter, LoL's Yasuo spotlight, and Elite's first alpha test originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's reputation systems for the new player Posted: 16 Dec 2013 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO Industry, Patches, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Captain's Log, Guides One thing new MMO players will learn is that games that have levels inevitably also have a level cap, meaning that when a character reaches the highest level, there's not often much left to do other than to wait for a new expansion. This conundrum has left many developers trying to find ways to keep players in the game while they worked on new, larger content pushes. Many accomplish the task by creating repeatable quests or missions. Some games, Star Trek Online included, have integrated what are known as reputation systems into their games. Reputation systems are meant to keep players participating in repeatable content, allowing them to apply the currency received from that play to obtain select items and unique rewards. Continue reading Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's reputation systems for the new player Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's reputation systems for the new player originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Dungeon city in World of Warcraft Posted: 16 Dec 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Video, PvE, Massively Meta, Hands-On, Livestream, The Stream Team, Subscription, MMORPG If you want to take advantage of World of Warcraft's Looking for Raid tool, your first task should be replacing all of the junky quest gear you picked up as you adventured to level 90. Running heroic dungeons is the fastest way to up your gear score, and that's exactly what Massively's Mike Foster intends to do. Join him at 7:30 p.m. as he leaps into the random dungeon finder in the hopes of finding some shiny new healy drops. Game: World of Warcraft Host: Mike Foster Date: Monday, December 16, 2013 Time: 7:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Dungeon city in World of Warcraft The Stream Team: Dungeon city in World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

TUG gets a new website Posted: 16 Dec 2013 03:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, Sandbox What's new in the world TUG? Why, that spiffy website over yonder, that's what! Nerd Kingdom has published a new and newbie-friendly destination designed to draw attention to the fantasy sandbox's unique feature set. The devs are still updating the project's Kickstarter page, though, so don't delete it from your bookmarks just yet. The latest news includes patch notes, a three-part dev interview, and the availability of a TUG newsletter. TUG gets a new website originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Announcement

Star Trek Online getting another expansion 'late in 2014' Posted: 16 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Expansions, MMO Industry, News Items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries Star Trek Online fans, you've got a new expansion coming your way in 2014. So says the latest STO dev blog. The entry is basically a year-end recap, and it offers up plenty of thanks for making 2013 "the best year ever for STO." It also says that "your enthusiastic support has put another expansion on the schedule for late in 2014." Unfortunately there are no other details as of yet, but hey, feel free to give the whole thing a read via the links below. [Thanks Grand Nagus!] Star Trek Online getting another expansion 'late in 2014' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Dev blog

Elder Scrolls Online shows concept art of the emperor's armor Posted: 16 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Subscription Let's assume that you're really, really awesome at Elder Scrolls Online when it launches next year. Let's assume -- and this is stretching a bit -- that you're the one who claws his or her way to the throne in Tamriel to become the emperor. And let's assume that you were just in it for the bling and not merely the promise of power and the admiration of your player subjects. If the planets align and this happens, then you'll have access to a suit of armor that will be truly unique in the game. ZeniMax showed concept art today for the emperor's armor that the big kahuna will be able to wear. According to the description, it is "armor that only the emperor can wear, intricately worked from the strongest materials and valuable beyond measure." Will it be yours? Elder Scrolls Online shows concept art of the emperor's armor originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Fit for the emperor

Learn more about WildStar's Engineer with this livestream replay Posted: 16 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Video, Classes, PvP, News Items, PvE, Livestream, WildStar, Subscription, MMORPG Carbine Studios recently hosted an hour-long WildStar livestream dedicated to showing off the newly unveiled Engineer class. In the stream, developers Hugh Shelton and Stephan Frost answered a variety of questions about how the Engineer works both in and out of battle. The pair revealed that summoned bots will last until destroyed, that taunts from bots will affect players as well as NPCs, and that Engineers will have loose control over how bots move and react to targets. The full stream also includes a look at some PvP and dungeon content from the Engineer's perspective with commentary from the devs. Check it out after the break. Continue reading Learn more about WildStar's Engineer with this livestream replay Learn more about WildStar's Engineer with this livestream replay originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments YouTube

DayZ standalone releases alpha on Steam Posted: 16 Dec 2013 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Horror, Trailers, Launches, MMOFPS, Buy-to-Play DayZ's "true blue" alpha launched on the Steam store today for $29.99. The release is part of Steam's early access program with a caveat posted that players should not purchase it unless they're OK with "serious issues and possible interruptions of game functioning." The launch was accompanied by a trailer which has since been pulled from the Steam store due to its graphic nature. Lead developer Dean Hall bemoaned the move on Twitter: "At the last minute, despite being told of the contents of my trailer for DayZ, Steam pulled my trailer due to censorship." The video is still on YouTube if you're curious, although be aware that it is NSFW and has a scene of a suicide. DayZ standalone releases alpha on Steam originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Gamebreaker, YouTubePolygon

Guild Wars 2 players pledge oath to game in video Posted: 16 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Contests, Guild Wars 2, Subscription Stop pinching yourself in a futile effort to wake up from what you think is an absurd dream. The Guild Wars 2 marketing promotion to ask players to pledge their allegiance to the game actually happened. We know this because we now have video proof of the fact. ArenaNet released a complilation video of players filling in the blanks of their own oaths to play the game (in exchange for a shot at a free copy of it, it must be said). From the adorkable to the bizarre and the cows to the cheap flame effects, this video has it all. And best of all, you can watch it in the privacy of your home with no one to judge you after the break. Continue reading Guild Wars 2 players pledge oath to game in video Guild Wars 2 players pledge oath to game in video originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chaos Theory: A few useful mods for The Secret World Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:30 PM PST Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Game Mechanics, Opinion, The Secret World, Guides, Chaos Theory, Player-Generated Content, Buy-to-Play Do you use mods in The Secret World? This was a question I have actually asked friends and colleagues as the idea of corralling the best and most useful mods bounced around in my head for a while. The irony in that inquiry is that I, personally, do not use any addons for TSW; in fact, I tend not to use them for most any game. But I do hear people swear by them, so I thought finding the best ones used throughout the community would be a helpful service. And then I set the idea aside. You know how it is -- other things jump in the way or catch your attention screaming, "Look at me! Look at me!" So helpful mods have been on the back burner, bumped in favor of other more timely matters. And then suddenly it was the timely issue. You see, once I started trying to run scenarios, one of the mods that everyone keeps talking to me about suddenly became very relevant. (If you've ever tried to do a super-quick swap using the gear manager only to find that once you're in combat, one weapon didn't make the switch, leaving you without half of your skills, you can totally understand why). Once I started thinking about that, it led me to wondering about the other addons out there. And if I am wondering about them, chances are someone else is, too. So that makes now the perfect time to check out the various addpons that players use to make life smoother in TSW. Continue reading Chaos Theory: A few useful mods for The Secret World Chaos Theory: A few useful mods for The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

MechWarrior Online's clan warfare bundles now available for pre-order Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, PvP, News Items, War, Free-to-Play, Post-Apocalyptic, MechWarrior Online MechWarrior Online's implementation of clan warfare is scheduled for Soon TM, and Piranha Games is celebrating by making clan mechs available for pre-order in the form of special bundles. Each bundle includes one or more clan mechs with variants, XP boosts, and other exclusive items. Piranha also unveiled the Gold Khan collection of mechs, which have gold skin and are priced to match at $500 each. Non-gold variants of the mechs will be available for in-game currency at a later date. According to the official collection website, pre-ordering ensures you receive the collection by June 17th. [Source: Piranha Games press release] MechWarrior Online's clan warfare bundles now available for pre-order originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Return to EverQuest II's Highkeep Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest II, Free-to-Play, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team Last week's attempt to return to EverQuest II's Highkeep was, shall we say, less than successful? Right now, a mercenary just doesn't cut it in there, so Massively's MJ is returning to complete the instance with the help of a guildmate for this EverQuest Two-sday. The duo will dive back in today with brooms and swords in hand to clean up the mess those little green goblins keep making. Wait a minute, did we say EverQuest Two-sday? That's right -- and that's today! MJ used her magical mystical powers to swap days of the week, so Monday is the "new" Tuesday. Now, if only those magical powers would work on the bacon boss. Join us live at 2:00 p.m. EST to see how well her magical powers hold up against those filthy goblins and the giant pig. Game: EverQuest II Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Monday, December 16th, 2013 Time: 2:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Return to EverQuest II's Highkeep The Stream Team: Return to EverQuest II's Highkeep originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Nexus Telegraph: Talking a bit about WildStar's beta Posted: 16 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Opinion, WildStar, The Nexus Telegraph, Subscription, Buy-to-Play As you probably saw last Thursday, the 1-15 beta experience in WildStar had its NDA lifted for us schlubs in the press, allowing us to chatter on quite a bit about the game. We've seen articles discussing the early levels, we've seen streams, and we've been treated to a surfeit of information on the game in its current beta state. I talked about all of that, and I want to talk about it some more because I am really excited about it. After playing the game through to 15, I've got a lot of stuff to look forward to as well as some definite criticisms. So above and beyond what I've already said, I want to talk some more about WildStar's beta. Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: Talking a bit about WildStar's beta The Nexus Telegraph: Talking a bit about WildStar's beta originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Women are a major marketing target for Ever, Jane Posted: 16 Dec 2013 09:30 AM PST Filed under: Historical, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Miscellaneous, Crowdfunding Maybe you're not quite the target market for Ever, Jane. You may not like the works of Jane Austen, for example; that would be a major deterrent. But according to project head Judy L. Tyrer, one of the major areas she wants to target is the women's market, which she feels is neglected by companies as a whole. She feels that one of the major failings of game companies is failing to realize how large the game market is for women. Tyrer goes into more depth about the game's mechanics, noting that what appealed to her as a designer was the rigid stratification of social classes in Austen's work. Social movement is a major element of the gameplay, with most of players' time devoted to attending balls and gossiping about one another. No word on endgame raids against Mister Darcy or whether or not wit will be seen as an overpowered stat. Women are a major marketing target for Ever, Jane originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Edge Online

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