MMO Updates

MMO Updates


One Shots: Video games are bad for you

Posted: 07 Jul 2013 08:00 AM PDT

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One Shots Video games are bad for you
I love the snarky billboards in superhero MMOs. I don't know why, exactly, these games became the place to place them, but I'm not complaining. Reader Elliot sent in one of my favorite billboards from Champions Online. I'm honestly tempted to make this into a business card.

"I am not sure if this is up to par for One Shots," he wrote, "but I ran into this sign outside RenCenter in Millennium City and couldn't resist snapping the pic."

We now return you to a feedback loop of irony. A sign in a video game warning you about playing video games? My head spinneth. Let's check out the rest of this week's player-submitted screenshots before I need to go lie down, OK?

Continue reading One Shots: Video games are bad for you

MassivelyOne Shots: Video games are bad for you originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Jul 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Korean players protest a flag in World of Warships

    Posted: 07 Jul 2013 07:00 AM PDT

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    Remarkably, no one was offended by the ships flying the flag of the Lannisters.
    When you're dealing with a global market, sometimes it's the most innocuous elements that cause a problem. World of Warships, cousin to both World of Tanks and World of Warplanes, included something that made several Korean gamers very angry: A flag. Specifically, the Rising Sun flag on several Japanese ships.

    From Wargaming.net's perspective, since the game is meant to have players at the helm of ships used by the major armies involved in World War II, including a period-appropriate decoration was perfectly reasonable. However, to several players in the region, the Rising Sun flag is seen as a reminder of Japanese military expansion and aggression, which is still a sensitive topic in many regions.

    The company's representatives posted on the official forums that the flag will be removed from the game, with the added clarification that the team is trying to be as sensitive as possible to cultural differences. The game is currently in testing and is due for general release later this year.

    MassivelyKorean players protest a flag in World of Warships originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Jul 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Daily Grind: Should characters age?

    Posted: 07 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT

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    The Daily Grind Should characters age
    There are a lot of immersion-ruining elements of MMOs (probably too many to count, depending on how cynical you've become), but every once in a while I'm bothered by the fact that characters just don't age. Not only do we play in game worlds that are apparently after the child apocalypse, but everyone you meet is visually between the ages of 17 and 22. Maybe 23, if the player used the "age lines" that developers toss into the character creator on a whim.

    It makes me wonder if, to give us a true sense of living in these worlds, our characters should age. It was a big selling point of the first Fable game, although having never played it, I don't know how well it turned out. But I remember reading a preview of the first game and actually digging the idea that my character would mature and grow old, with all of the benefits and drawbacks that entails.

    Should characters age in MMOs? If so, how could it best be done so that it wouldn't ruin everyone's day?

    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: Should characters age? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Jul 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Neverwinter unveils the Campaign system

      Posted: 06 Jul 2013 07:00 PM PDT

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      No system has yet been put into place for completely derailing the campaign with your character.
      The first major content addition to Neverwinter isn't just bringing new dungeons, it's bringing a new way to experience the game's content. The new Campaign system will see its debut in the region of Sharandar. This isn't just another name for a series of quests, but rather a new way for players to unlock both new rewards and new areas simply by adventuring and completing larger goals.

      The Campaign window is a new UI element that lists a number of Projects players can undertake. Questing in the area, running solo instances, or diving into the new dungeons will provide new rewards that can be spent on clearing projects, unlocking new regions, new dungeons, and so forth. Players can also earn new equipment by completing other Projects, which offers several methods to reap the benefits of hard work. The new system, like the rest of the content, is still due out for sometime this summer.

      MassivelyNeverwinter unveils the Campaign system originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Jul 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Red 5's Mark Kern discusses wasted space in MMO development

      Posted: 06 Jul 2013 06:00 PM PDT

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      Wasting someone in an MMO is a very different discussion.
      A recent article by Mark Kern of Red 5 Studios is all about the idea that most of an MMO is wasted space. Not travel space that doesn't need to be there; no, Kern is talking about the huge amount of low-level content that gets played and discarded at a dizzying pace as players move past it. According to Kern, anywhere between 80-90% of the content in a given MMO is both expensive to craft and more or less irrelevant to the game after six months.

      Kern stresses that the primary problem is that the cost of developing an MMO is raising while the time spent on content doesn't change, resulting in a neverending rush to produce more high-level content at a rate that's simply not realistic. He advocates more dynamic content, more scaling, and more flexibility in progression to help make development costs feel less like money flung into a pit for low-level content. If you're interested in the industry as a whole, it's worth a read.

      [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]

      MassivelyRed 5's Mark Kern discusses wasted space in MMO development originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Jul 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Game Archaeologist: Wing Commander Online

      Posted: 06 Jul 2013 04:00 PM PDT

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      The Game Archaeologist Wing Commander Online and Privateer Online
      Like many gamers who grew up playing the popular titles in the 1990s, Massively's Jef is understandably excited that Chris Roberts, creator of Wing Commander, is working on an original space sim MMO called Star Citizen. Jef is so thrilled, in fact, that he started a column anticipating the title.

      Jef's not alone; it seemed as though half of the internet went bananas when Roberts came out of the woodwork to announce his title and ask for a few coppers for funding. He got more than just a few, as gaming nostalgia is one of the most powerful forces known to mankind. Even if it can't be Wing Commander in name, gamers reasoned as they plunked down their money, it could be the Wing Commander MMO in spirit.

      Interestingly enough, there was an actual effort made to bring the well-known franchise to the MMO table back in the late '90s. A pair of projects, Wing Commander Online and Privateer Online, promised the thrills of the hit space saga with the expanse of the online gaming world. What happened and why aren't we playing one of these games today? Find out on this exciting episode of The Game Archaeologist!

      Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Wing Commander Online

      MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist: Wing Commander Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Jul 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Tattered Notebook: Are EQII mercenaries a solo-savior or group-killer?

        Posted: 06 Jul 2013 03:00 PM PDT

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        Tattered Notebook  EQII mercenaries  solo savior or group killer
        A couple of events this past week brought my mind back to a subject I have pondered off and on since EverQuest II's standalone expansion Age of Discovery launched back in December 2011. The first came when a Massively TV viewer expressed amazement at how our little group could decimate the triple-up heroics (a con system designation meaning hard) in a dungeon. The second came when a colleague was lamenting the difficulty of finding a group to get into a dungeon. How are these two situations tied to Age of Discovery? By the tethers of mercenaries.

        Mercenaries, or mercs as they are more generally referred to, are available to all players who have purchased that particular expansion regardless of their level. Plenty of Norrathians, including me, are running around with these for-hire companions. But the question on my mind is, are mercenaries a boon or a bane to EQII? The answer depends heavily on your playstyle.

        Continue reading Tattered Notebook: Are EQII mercenaries a solo-savior or group-killer?

        MassivelyTattered Notebook: Are EQII mercenaries a solo-savior or group-killer? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Jul 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Star Citizen a 'remarkably detailed space combat sim with an equally in-depth economy'

          Posted: 06 Jul 2013 02:00 PM PDT

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          Star Citizen to be a 'remarkably detailed space combat sim with an equally in-depth economy'
          You're probably aware of the fact that Star Citizen has spaceships. But did you know that space combat is just part of what the game offers? If you didn't know that -- or, heck, even if you did -- check out the latest dev blog on the game's economy, along with the accompanying video featuring Cloud Imperium founder Chris Roberts.

          "Star Citizen is, at its heart, a vast living world that combines a remarkably detailed space combat simulation with an equally in-depth model of the economy of a star-spanning empire," CI's blog post explains. There's quite a bit of detail about nodes, the role of players and AI, and production chains and resource flow, so settle in with your favorite caffeinated beverage.

          Elsewhere in the Star Citizen news universe, it was another record crowdfunding week. The $13 million barrier is the latest to fall, and Cloud Imperium will now be able to add frigates as player-flyable ships as well as the Command and Control module on larger ships that allows pilots to coordinate between multiple craft. Stretch goal unlocks for the $14 and $15 million plateaus are viewable via the announcement post.

          Don't forget the economy video after the break!

          [Thanks Robyn!]

          Continue reading Star Citizen a 'remarkably detailed space combat sim with an equally in-depth economy'

          MassivelyStar Citizen a 'remarkably detailed space combat sim with an equally in-depth economy' originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Jul 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Mog Log: Believing in Final Fantasy XIV

          Posted: 06 Jul 2013 12:00 PM PDT

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          Will this be another column passing two hundred comments?  I doubt it, but I doubted it the last few times.
          This week, I'm going to do something different. I'm going to talk about my wife.

          Lest anyone worry that this is the start of a Paul McCartney-esque slide into sappy sentimentality, there's good reason for this. Ms. Lady has been mentioned on previous occasions as a gaming partner and skilled roleplayer. She's not as into MMOs as I am, but she plays them a lot and she certainly knows what she likes and what she doesn't. And let me tell you, she didn't like Final Fantasy XIV.

          This is a point of view I hold against absolutely no one, but it sure as heck meant that she was not interested in the relaunch. She'd had enough of the game after the first couple of tries to break in. The relaunch had no hooks to pull her back in, no interesting features that stirred her interest, nothing but the promise of a game she'd already decided wasn't good enough to play.

          And that all changed.

          Continue reading The Mog Log: Believing in Final Fantasy XIV

          MassivelyThe Mog Log: Believing in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Jul 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Star Wars: The Old Republic outlines the Bounty Contract Week

            Posted: 06 Jul 2013 11:00 AM PDT

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            Hunting twi'leks is kind of like the galactic training wheels.
            Bounty hunting is a thing in Star Wars: The Old Republic, to the point that there's an entire class focused around bounties and the hunting thereof. But even if you're usually a meditative Jedi, you can still pick up a few extra credits in the upcoming Bounty Contract Week coming to the game in August. A new development blog details what players can expect from this event, offering players of nearly all levels a chance to earn reputation for taking down violent criminals.

            Each day, players can select a single contract to hunt, with the Bounty Brokers Association providing a selection of different planets with available contracts. Veteran hunters can also hunt for a single Kingpin target, a high-threat individual who requires more accomplished hunters. Success means credits and reputation with the BBA. Players from level 15 and up can take part in these missions, which scale to the level of the participant, ensuring that anyone who wants to get in on the hunt can start taking down criminals for credits.

            MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic outlines the Bounty Contract Week originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Jul 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Chaos Theory Extra: Touring The Secret World's Issue #7

            Posted: 06 Jul 2013 10:00 AM PDT

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            Chaos Theory Extra Touring TSW's Issue #7 with Joel Bylos
            I know what you're thinking. No, really -- I am a mind reader, and I've been honing my skills. Like right now, you want to know what The Secret World's next big update, A Dream to Kill, is like. Nailed it, didn't I? Of course, that would be why you came here in the first place. And this is definitely the place to be because I've been to Issue #7 and I'm going to share my experiences with you. You could just wait until next Monday when the DLC is released to find out for yourself, but why wait if you don't have to?

            My tour was guided by none other than Game Director Joel Bylos himself, so I was able to slip in some questions between my oohs and ahhs. Wondering what juicy tidbits he revealed? Then join me for a look at what you can expect next week along with a glimpse of the future. Don't worry; I will clearly label any spoilers for those who want to be shocked first-hand. (Hint: The images in the gallery below are a bit of a spoiler!)

            Continue reading Chaos Theory Extra: Touring The Secret World's Issue #7

            MassivelyChaos Theory Extra: Touring The Secret World's Issue #7 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Jul 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Blade and Soul 2.0 Latest Accessories and Pet's Outfit

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              Blade and Soul 2.0 Latest Accessories and Pet's Outfit


              Some are the rewards of events.

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