| Rise and Shiny: Dino Storm Posted: 14 Apr 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Screenshots, Video, Game Mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Casual, Kids, Family, Rise and Shiny, Livestream I have a real love for finding tiny, unknown, indie titles -- especially ones that are obviously made for younger gamers -- and playing them for a write-up. It's one of the perks of the job; I get to dig up these gems and tell thousands of people about them. Games like Dino Storm also serve to remind me about why I got into blogging about games before I was ever paid to do it. There are virtual worlds to discover out there, and I find that thrilling. I especially like it when they boast this level of quality. Dino Storm might not challenge a more mature player, but it's surprisingly complex. It's got everything it needs to be considered a full-fledged MMO, but it also keeps in mind that younger players need a little help along the way. You'll play the role of a cowboy or girl who rides around on the backs of well-animated dinosaurs ranging from tiny to massive, and you'll also hunt after all sorts of quests and goods. I did have a few small issues with the game, but the development team seemed willing and ready to patch them up. Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Dino Storm  Rise and Shiny: Dino Storm originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| One Shots: Soggy beginnings Posted: 14 Apr 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Screenshots, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Culture, One Shots, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, Miscellaneous Dungeons and Dragons Online newcomers and veterans alike are quite familiar with the waterlogged Sahuagin and all of their wacky antics. Basically think "level 1 mermaids from hell" and you're right with the rest of us. It's a good thing that the game doesn't have smell-o-vision because the tutorial would be reeking of a fishery, that's all I'm saying. Reader Sharvis photographed his initial journey through the game and delivered this familiar image of an odd cellar. "Oh great, the Wavecrest Tavern's basement has flooded," he writes. "And who let the Sahuagin in? They're making everything look tacky again!" We'll get the sump pump working while you check out the rest of today's player-submitted screenshots! Continue reading One Shots: Soggy beginnings One Shots: Soggy beginnings originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| First 20 minutes of Elder Scrolls Online gameplay leaked Posted: 14 Apr 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Contests, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, PvE, The Elder Scrolls Online Want an early look at the first 20 minutes of The Elder Scrolls Online? Get it while you can after the cut, as a lengthy snippet of leaked gameplay footage has made its way onto YouTube. The clip shows off character creation, nine playable races, and a choice between three classes (Dragonknight, Sorcerer, and Templar). You can also see the UI, skill trees, and various quests at different points in the video. There's plenty of combat on display, too, both third- and first-person. Continue reading First 20 minutes of Elder Scrolls Online gameplay leaked First 20 minutes of Elder Scrolls Online gameplay leaked originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: How do you feel about gear modding? Posted: 14 Apr 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous WildStar's recent dev diary explaining its gear modding system made me realize how we're seeing more and more of this sort of thing recently. Defiance allows you to trick out its guns, RIFT introduced a new type of moddable gear in Storm Legion, SWTOR has custom gear that does the trick, Allods Online just added a similar system, and so on. I generally like gear modding as long as it doesn't stray too far into the realm of the obtuse and complex. It's fun to tweak that sword or pulse rifle to become the weapon you've always wanted, and there's a thrifty aspect to keeping that good-looking piece of armor up-to-date instead of just pitching it for the latest and greatest. How do you feel about gear modding? Should it be a staple of all MMOs? How can it be done wrong and how can it be done oh-so-right?  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 feel about gear modding? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The lure of EverQuest II's Sirens Grotto documented in video Posted: 13 Apr 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest II, Patches, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Dungeons Earlier this week we got to peek into Cobalt Scar, the new area in EverQuest II's upcoming GU66 Scars of the Awakened. But there's so much more to the zone than just one little fly-through could show! During SOE's latest webcast, the focus turned to one little corner of the new region: the Sirens Grotto dungeon. Complete with waterfalls, coral formations, and alluring sirens begging for help, the dungeon eschews mundane and dingy areas filled with hideous creatures. Sirens Grotto has heroic and advanced versions, both of which play into the daily missions. Players will have multiple reasons to explore this dungeon, from deciphering what's going on with the Ages End prophecy to finding clues about the missing Kelethin contingent of the New Combine army. Watch the full video below to hear devs describe the zone and share more details about the mobs, quests, and stories that folks will encounter come April 30th. Continue reading The lure of EverQuest II's Sirens Grotto documented in video The lure of EverQuest II's Sirens Grotto documented in video originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| State of Decay coming to Xbox Live in June Posted: 13 Apr 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Trailers, Video, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play Undead Labs' zombie actioner State of Decay is coming to Xbox Live this June according to a brief update posted by Undead community guru Sanya Weathers. And when we say brief, we do mean brief, as the sum total of the update is "June. Officially." Fortunately the firm also released a new teaser that shows off a heaping helping of bloody, brain-bashing gameplay. You'll find it after the cut. Continue reading State of Decay coming to Xbox Live in June State of Decay coming to Xbox Live in June originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Tattered Notebook: Can EQ Next's housing measure up to EverQuest II's? Posted: 13 Apr 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, New Titles, Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Tattered Notebook, EverQuest Next, Sandbox, Housing, Player-Generated Content With last Wednesday's release of EverQuest II's latest prestige home, the totally awesome Hua Mein Retreat, I couldn't help but be focused on one of my favorite gaming features. I toured the new home, got to check out the break-out spots, and marveled at how pro SOE is with housing. Sure, there have been some misses when it comes to the prestige options, but things just keep getting better. Before long, my thoughts turned to the idea of housing in EverQuest Next. Obviously, I am excited to play EverQuest Next. How could I not be? This studio has cornered the market on the most fun classes I have ever played (Dancer, Disciple, Fury, and Shaman) and the best housing systems I've personally had the pleasure to delve into (Star Wars Galaxies, Vanguard, and EverQuest II). And now it's making another sandbox. But will EQN pull me permanently away from EQII, a game where I've earned my seven-year vet rewards? That, my friends, will depend in large part on the housing. Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Can EQ Next's housing measure up to EverQuest II's? The Tattered Notebook: Can EQ Next's housing measure up to EverQuest II's? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Apr 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| EVE Online executive producer moving to concentrate on mobile Posted: 13 Apr 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, PvP, News Items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox It looks like EVE Online's Jon Lander, otherwise known as CCP Unifex, will be moving on from his position as executive producer of the 10-year-old single-shard space MMO to concentrate on CCP's "emerging mobile strategy," according to a recent dev blog. Lander helped steer the team through EVE Online expansions Crucible, Inferno, Retribution, and the upcoming Odyssey. Don't worry, though; Senior Producer CCP Seagull and Development Director CCP Ripley will continue on with production of the game. Odyssey's release is still set for June 4th, and CCP promises that the transition will have zero impact on the quality of the upcoming new expansion. Even more intriguingly, CCP wants to fill the position that Jon vacated with a candidate from outside the company. The dev blog wonders whether you have what it takes to take on the massive responsibility of running the world's biggest collection of pew-pews, or maybe you know someone who does. Good luck! EVE Online executive producer moving to concentrate on mobile originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's magitek disassembled Posted: 13 Apr 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log I've done a couple of articles on reoccurring concepts in Final Fantasy games before, but this is an unusual one because it seems to barely qualify at times. Final Fantasy XIV has magitek, as did Final Fantasy VI, but those are the only games to refer to it as such. Sure, other games flirt with similar concepts ( Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XIII, and Final Fantasy VII most prominently), but none of them is outright called magitek. Bit there's still some interesting stuff to unpack when it comes to magitek, even if you don't consider the corner cases as you ought to. At a glance it might look like this is a simple manichean split between two factions, but there's a lot more going on and a lot of importance tied up with the term that can hint as to Final Fantasy XIV's future -- beyond the fact that we'll get to ride some magitek armor. Continue reading The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's magitek disassembled The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV's magitek disassembled originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Jagex reports student to police following school shooting threat Posted: 13 Apr 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Events (Real-World), News Items, Legal, Miscellaneous For all the talk about video games causing crimes, we don't often hear about the times when they may well prevent them. Thomas Frongillo, age 18, has been arrested on charges of threatening to commit a crime after making statements about shooting up the college that he attended, but the threats were not made in person. They were made in an online game run by Jagex, most likely RuneScape, which is what led to his arrest. Frongillo allegedly said, "I'm going to shoot up my school tomorrow," and indicated a knowledge of firearms to other players in the game. He also made anti-Semitic comments and had indicated shooting at small wildlife in previous chat sessions. Jagex employees notified the police, and he is currently on bail pending his court date on April 19th. Frongillo's lawyers claim that the statements were made in jest and that the young man had no intention of carrying out any acts of violence. Jagex reports student to police following school shooting threat originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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