| Rise and Shiny: Ragnarok Online 2 Posted: 16 Jun 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Video, Culture, Game Mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-Play, First Impressions, Rise and Shiny, Livestream I remember playing Ragnarok Online, the first one, quite a while ago and semi-enjoying it. I liked the isometric views and even enjoyed some of the gameplay, but it was a bit of a mess much of the time. I walked away more confused than entertained. At the same time, I met reader after reader after reader who seemed to have grown up on the game. This "grind generation" was made of steely reserve and tougher stuff than I was because the game was notoriously grindy. How did they play it? Even now as I was looking for a few different views on Ragnarok Online 2, I came across a video that was hosted by a player who acknowledged the "boring grind" that left players with literally "nothing to do but level alts," yet he played the game to the max level, several times. If only we could get these guys to put that much energy into world peace, I might be having dinner in the middle of a former warzone right now! I found number two to be a bit like its older version but surprisingly modern and more fun than I thought. But only a bit more fun. Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Ragnarok Online 2  Rise and Shiny: Ragnarok Online 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| One Shots: Do you always dress like that? Posted: 16 Jun 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Screenshots, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lineage 2, Lord of the Rings Online, Tabula Rasa, One Shots, Humor, Miscellaneous Here's a tip from your friendly One Shots coordinator: If you send in a screenshot from a game that hardly ever gets featured in this column, there's a better-than-average chance that I'm going to bump it right up to the top of the pack. Case in point: this groovy shot from Lineage II. Reader Johnny said he played this game back in 2007: "Behind me we can see the endgame, the Baium Raid Boss. Baium resides on the 13th floor of a the Tower of Insolence, a massive, non-instanced hunting ground with 13 fully accessible and monster-packed floors. The weapon I am holding is a Flaming Dragon Skull, an A-grade blunt weapon." Be prepared for A-grade awesome screenshots and B-grade commentary as you forge on in this week's repository of player-submitted pictures! Continue reading One Shots: Do you always dress like that? One Shots: Do you always dress like that? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: Should mounts do something other than transport? Posted: 16 Jun 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous While I'm totally rocking the minivan these days (no, I was never cool), I actually love my car. It's not just an object that transports me from point A to B; it's a mobile base of operation. It has hookups for my gadgets, diaper bags, DVD players, and so on. It's home away from home, as it should be. What about our mounts in MMOs? Most of them do nothing other than give us a nice increase in speed, with a select few granting us a pilot's license and clearing us for flight. But do they have functions other than just transporting us? Once in a while I read about a mount that allows you to pick up passengers, or one that offers a vending service, or even one that fights alongside of you. What do you think? Should mounts do something other than just transport, and if so, what?  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: Should mounts do something other than transport? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Wings Over Atreia: Exclusive peek into Aion 4.0's new zones Posted: 15 Jun 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, Aion, Expansions, Previews, Free-to-Play, Wings Over Atreia I have a pretty standard M.O. when it comes to my MMOs: Regardless of how various tutorials want to direct me, I wander off and explore the new world I find myself in. I love to poke around, look into corners, and see all there is to see. The same goes for any time a patch or expansion opens up new places to meander through. That's really just how I roll/run/fly/shamble/hop. So it should come as no surprise that I am excitedly awaiting the new lands of Katalam and Danaria when Aion: Dark Betrayal launches on the 26th. I know that I am not alone in my anticipation, so for all those who are also looking forward to taking off into Aion's new realms, I've got something special for you. No, I can't let you into the game early (but if they ever open the door early for me, I'll prop it for you!), but I do have the next best thing to a first-hand experience: a visual tour. I've gotten a hold of -- legitimately, I swear -- a video and a number of screenshots showing off all three (yes, I said three) new zones, and I want to share them with you. On top of that, I also have some highlights of the story behind these new areas that Daevas will soon be soaring into. Join me to take a tour and learn the lore of Katalam, Danaria, and Idian Depths. Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Exclusive peek into Aion 4.0's new zones Wings Over Atreia: Exclusive peek into Aion 4.0's new zones originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Diablo III console port was almost a twin-stick shooter Posted: 15 Jun 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, Consoles, Diablo III Penny Arcade reports that the console version of Blizzard's Diablo III went through an interesting metamorphosis as it was ported over from the PC. A twin-stick approach was "one of the first prototypes," according to game director Josh Mosqueira. Ultimately, that particular control scheme didn't fly because of Diablo III's angled camera view. Also, "you can't blow stuff up or smash things if your thumb is on the right stick and the left stick," Mosqueira explained. You can read more on Penny Arcade's E3 DIII console hands-on via the link below.  Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 10-13, bringing you all the best news from E3 2013. We're covering everything from WildStar and Elder Scrolls Online and ArcheAge to FFXIV's inbound revamp and TERA's latest update, so stay tuned!Diablo III console port was almost a twin-stick shooter originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| E3 2013: World of Tanks is blasting its way to the 360 Posted: 15 Jun 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, Business Models, Game Mechanics, Interviews, MMO Industry, Previews, PvP, News Items, War, Consoles, Events (Massively's Coverage), World of Tanks, World of Warplanes, World of Warships Good news, tank fans! World of Tanks is heading to the Xbox 360 soon. Wargaming.net's partnership with Microsoft has been a huge milestone for both companies, as there hasn't been a large library of F2P games to grace the console's life. Although it's particularly late in the game's life to see World of Tanks hit the console market, transition to a controller-based system has actually been a good thing for the game. At this year's E3, Massively talked with Wargaming's Jeremy Monroe a bit about the company's growth, World of Tanks on the 360, and future plans for game releases. Continue reading E3 2013: World of Tanks is blasting its way to the 360 E3 2013: World of Tanks is blasting its way to the 360 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| E3 2013: Warframe is coming to a PS4 near you Posted: 15 Jun 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Previews, PvP, Opinion, Hands-On, Consoles, MMOFPS, Events (Massively's Coverage) Nestled deep within the Sony booth at E3 amongst a horde of gamewatchers was the Warframe demo. It's a PC title from Digital Extremes that will be released on the PS4 platform at launch. Free for anyone subscribing to PSN, Warframe is a third-person shooter that is definitely undertaking some experimentation in the graphics and control departments. The PS4 demo was graphically superior to plenty of titles, running in full 1080P without a hitch or glitch in performance. Controls were responsive (although they took some getting used to), and playing with a handful of players was exhilarating at the Sony booth. I'm used to more of a keyboard-and-mouse control setup, but console fraggers will feel right at home. Continue reading E3 2013: Warframe is coming to a PS4 near you E3 2013: Warframe is coming to a PS4 near you originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV beta phase (E)3 Posted: 15 Jun 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events (Real-World), Previews, News Items, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log The third phase of Final Fantasy XIV's beta is here, and with it, the NDA is summarily gone. Images from phase 3 can be posted; video and audio cannot. This is the fast track to finally being back in the game for real, to play your old characters once again, to enjoy the game again. Am I excited? Of course I am because I haven't been able to play yet. I'm writing this from the past, and by the time you read this, I will be awash in Eorzea. There was also a major industry event this week, one that's known officially as the Electronic Entertainment Expo and known more colloquially to everyone in the world as E3. Final Fantasy XIV was there making an impression, revealing jobs at long last, and generally carrying on as if it owned the place. So let's talk a little bit about what we saw from E3 if you can tear yourself away from the beta client for, like, five minutes. Continue reading The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV beta phase (E)3 The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV beta phase (E)3 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Paradox Interactive drops Salem; Seatribe to continue development Posted: 15 Jun 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser, Sandbox If a game has spent a year in beta with no launch in sight, good things are not generally around the corner. So it goes for Salem, the early-America-themed permadeath sandbox MMO. Paradox Interactive has decided to separate from the title altogether, leaving all costs and work associated with the game in the hands of the two-man development team at Seatribe. The split will be final on July 8th, with a slow phase-out in place until then. According to the official announcement, both Paradox Interactive and Seatribe feel that this decision is for the health of the game now and in the future, and there are no immediate plans for a shutdown or anything of the sort. Players will be given a discount coupon for Paradox Interactive's online store and a free bundle of Salem's microtransaction currency. What happens with the game after the handover is complete remains to be seen. [Thanks to Chrysillis for the tip!] Paradox Interactive drops Salem; Seatribe to continue development originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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