| Mingle with monsters as Heva Clonia Online launches today Posted: 31 Oct 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, Launches, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dungeons After just two weeks of open beta testing, the anime-styled free-to-play game Heva Clonia Online launched today. Along with the full launch, OGPlanet is introducing new content and features including a new region, more quests, new dungeons, an increase in the level cap (to 49), and new class evolutions. Additionally, the cash shop is now available for use. As Heva Clonia Online's launch coincides with Halloween, it is fitting that there are numerous holiday-themed events for players to participate in and earn prizes from. And what better way to keep that holiday spirit all year round than by cloning and collecting the Halloween monsters? To start your adventures, visit the official site. For more on the game, check out Rise and Shiny and watch the gameplay trailer below. [Source: OGPlanet press release] Continue reading Mingle with monsters as Heva Clonia Online launches today  Mingle with monsters as Heva Clonia Online launches today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Oct 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| PlanetSide 2's release on PS4 delayed to 2014, DCUO still set for launch Posted: 31 Oct 2013 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Super-hero, Launches, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Consoles, MMOFPS, DC Universe Online, PlanetSide 2 Although PlanetSide 2 was originally announced to be available on the PlayStation 4 right when the console launched later this year, that release has been delayed until early 2014. PS2 was noticeably absent from list of launch games on the PS4's newly released FAQ, and SOE CEO John Smedley confirmed the delay in an interview on Bloomberg TV. According to the FAQ, DC Universe Online is still slated to release as a launch title in North America and also the UK, where the PS4 will hit nearly two weeks after the NA. As free-to-play titles, neither PS2 nor DCUO will require a PlayStation Plus membership when they do launch on the PS4. PlanetSide 2's release on PS4 delayed to 2014, DCUO still set for launch originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Oct 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Star Trek Online Season 8 set to release November 12 Posted: 31 Oct 2013 09:00 AM PDT |
| Thirty thousand Orcs and you: A LotRO epic battle story Posted: 31 Oct 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Previews, Free-to-Play The rain beats hard down on steel helms as a flash of lightning illuminates the horrible truth: a carpet of monsters stretching to the horizon, advancing on the last refuge of an entire country. A catapult rolls up and fires a flaming shot over the battlements and into the troops behind you. People die. More people take their place. As you watch, a formation of 600 Orcs breaks away from the host for the first charge against the wall. Your wall. The wall you've sworn to protect at all costs. The wall that may well be your grave in the next 30 minutes. This isn't just flowery language but actual in-game events we witnessed when Turbine took us in for our first look at the epic battles coming to Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep. There's been plenty of talk on the studio's part as to the scale and scope of the system, but it's something else entirely to see it in action. Turbine's been working on the epic battle system for well over a year now, drawing inspiration from World War II documentaries as well as the 10-page description of the battle in Tolkien's novel. The team reworked the game's technology from the ground-up to allow for thousands of characters to fill the screen and up to 50 NPCs to be in combat at any one time. And even though the outcome of the battle is locked into place by lore, the conceit is that you will be judged based on your performance. Join us and 30,000 Orcs as we go over the many, many details of epic battles. But be quick about it -- we've only a few moments before the fight is rejoined. Continue reading Thirty thousand Orcs and you: A LotRO epic battle story Thirty thousand Orcs and you: A LotRO epic battle story originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Oct 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Hands-on with The Secret World's Issue #8: Scoping out scenarios Posted: 31 Oct 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Sci-Fi, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Interviews, Endgame, Hands-On, The Secret World, First Impressions, Crafting, Buy-to-Play "I know your people are eager to go to Tokyo, but now is not that moment." - Arturo Castiglione, Council of Venice representative. Truer words have never been spoken. As much as players are looking forward to exploring Tokyo in The Secret World, that time is not yet at hand. (If you doubt, just look at how much Filth is still left to clear out in Agartha!) However, now is the moment for something else: the Venetian Agenda. And despite its unfortunate luck to be the DLC right before the most anticipated Secret World update ever, Issue #8 is more than just a stepping stone on the way to bigger and better things. This issue has merit in its own right; it introduces another layer of endgame as well as an entirely new mode of (replayable) gameplay. Although the update isn't live on servers until next week, I had the opportunity yesterday to travel to a sunken slice of Venice and dive into the new scenario and augment systems of Issue #8 in a special tour with Funcom Creative Director Joel Bylos and Communications Manager Tor Egil Andersen. After that hands-on experience, I've got to say that I think this DLC will keep folks sufficiently occupied, if not totally distracted from thoughts of Tokyo. And believe me -- you don't want to be distracted during these scenarios! Continue reading Hands-on with The Secret World's Issue #8: Scoping out scenarios Hands-on with The Secret World's Issue #8: Scoping out scenarios originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Oct 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: What's the scariest MMO quest you've ever experienced? Posted: 31 Oct 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Horror, Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind I'm going to go out on a limb here and suppose that you've played a lot of MMOs. You're reading Massively, after all, and since we're something of a specialist site, well, there you go. Since you've played a lot of MMOs, I'm also betting that you've done your fair share of quests. Some of these quests were probably boring. Some might have been well-written or mechanically novel. And some might even have been scary. Since it's Halloween and stuff, why don't we get into the spirit by reminiscing about scary MMO quests. What's the scariest quest you can recall?  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: What's the scariest MMO quest you've ever experienced? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Oct 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| RIFT's Song of Dreams coming November 6 Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:00 PM PDT |
| Pathfinder's Dancey on the 'broken AAA themepark financial model' Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Pathfinder Online GoblinWorks CEO Ryan Dancey gave a presentation earlier today at GamesBeat 2013 focused around Pathfinder Online's approach to solving the "two fundamental problems of MMO development." These problems are the "broken AAA themepark financial model" and the customer desire for a game that "persistently reflects the cumulative effects of their actions." The sandbox paradigm is the solution to both problems, Dancey explained, as is a community-driven initiative that GoblinWorks calls crowdforging. Crowdforging revolves around feature implementation that is heavily influenced by the game's community. Pathfinder "maximizes meaningful human interaction, and a minimum viable product allows us to build our game with a small, agile team," he explains, before citing a few of the project's Kickstarter numbers. Dancey also shows off in-game footage from the game's most recent milestone. Finally, Dancey says that Pathfinder monetization will begin following an alpha in early 2014. The monetization will take the form of an early enrollment system akin to Gmail's beta. "We're on schedule, on budget, and ready to change forever how MMOs are made," Dancey concludes. We've embedded a lengthy GamesBeat video stream after the break. The Pathfinder presentation starts around the 03:23:00 mark. [Thanks Chris!] Continue reading Pathfinder's Dancey on the 'broken AAA themepark financial model' Pathfinder's Dancey on the 'broken AAA themepark financial model' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Free for All: MMOs for players with a penchant for The Wolf Among Us Posted: 30 Oct 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Screenshots, Culture, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes, Free Realms, Champions Online, Free for All, EverQuest Next, WildStar, Firefall Ah, graphics. It's hard to describe why we like the graphical styles we do. I like the stylings of many games, but some are just so perfect that the graphics reach beyond a visual style and become a sort of textural memory in my gamer's heart. Each year, scores of games come out, and though I enjoy many of them, most do not affect me the way the look of games like The Chronicles of Spellborn or even Free Realms does. There are a lot of single-player titles that just blow me away as well. Recently I was absolutely transfixed by Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. I stayed up late one night to finish it, and the graphics just kept getting better the entire time. Then there's The Wolf Among Us, a new title by Telltale Games, the same studio that made The Walking Dead series. It's made me remember just how amazing graphics can be without requiring a massive gaming rig. Did you like the look of The Wolf Among Us as well? Here are some MMOs that feel similar. Continue reading Free for All: MMOs for players with a penchant for The Wolf Among Us Free for All: MMOs for players with a penchant for The Wolf Among Us originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MMO Family: Good video games or bad mind games? Posted: 30 Oct 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: MMO Industry, Opinion, Kids, MMO Family, Family, Miscellaneous The video game industry suffers from an uncomfortable balance. On one hand, it's a business, and the best way to make money is to keep players playing. On the other are the methods that go into getting people playing -- and paying. From the bottom-feeding tactics of Zynga's FarmVille to the more subtle methods we see in MMOs through cash shops and microtransactions, studios are employing a variety of mind games to nudge players to open their wallets. It's one thing to market to adults, who (in theory) are mature enough to make wise decisions on how much to spend on gaming. But kids are a growing percentage of the playerbase and might not be as savvy when it comes to smart spending. NPR took a look at the marketing side of gaming, in an article called How video games are getting inside your head -- and wallet. It raises some meaningful questions about video games and children, which we'll look at in this week's MMO Family. Continue reading MMO Family: Good video games or bad mind games? MMO Family: Good video games or bad mind games? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Jagex livestreaming RuneFest 3 on November 2 Posted: 30 Oct 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, RuneScape, Free-to-Play, Browser If you can't make to London's Tobacco Dock for next week's RuneFest 3, Jagex wants you to know that you can still follow all the RuneScape festivities thanks to RuneFest LIVE. Heck, even if you can make it, the event is sold out, so unless you've already got tickets you'll want to tune in. RuneFest LIVE is a livestream that starts at 11:00 a.m. GMT on November 2nd. In addition to all the usual convention coverage, Jagex says you can expect some new gameplay announcements and other reveals during the stream. Head past the cut to have a look at the teaser video. In other RuneScape news, the title now features the Well of Goodwill, which enables community members to give to charity using in-game wealth. Full details are availabe on the RuneScape website. [Source]: Jagex press release Jagex livestreaming RuneFest 3 on November 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| An interview with 2013 SOE G.I.R.L. Scholarship winner Esther Wu Posted: 30 Oct 2013 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Miscellaneous, PlanetSide 2, MMORPG Sony Online Entertainment's G.I.R.L. (short for Gamers in Real Life) scholarship was developed to encourage women to pursue careers in game development and design. The winners are selected via an annual competition and receive a $10,000 scholarship in addition to a valuable in-studio internship working on one of SOE's many games. The submissions, which this year consisted of art design pieces and essays on the topic of women in gaming, are reviewed by a panel of judges from SOE. This year's winner, Esther Wu, spent 10 weeks working with the PlanetSide 2 art team at SOE's San Diego headquarters. We sat down with her to learn more about the G.I.R.L. Scholarship, her internship, and where she hopes to go next. Continue reading An interview with 2013 SOE G.I.R.L. Scholarship winner Esther Wu An interview with 2013 SOE G.I.R.L. Scholarship winner Esther Wu originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Blizzard unveils Diablo III's Reaper of Souls' Westmarch Posted: 30 Oct 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, New Titles, News Items, PvE, Dev Diaries, Miscellaneous, Destiny, Buy-to-Play Westmarch, once spoken of only in whispers, is one of the new settings of Diablo III's upcoming Reaper of Souls expansion. The city was once beautiful and vibrant, but the events of the Diablo series have left it with an unsettling aura and a dwindling population. Blizzard Entertainment today offered an up-close look at Westmarch's design and implementation on the official Diablo III blog, showing off concept maps, points of interest, and some of the city's real-life location inspirations. Westmarch pulls elements from "the fog-laden cobblestone streets of London in the 1800s" and features tightly packed buildings, winding alleyways, and grisly visual cues as to the city's failed attempts at mounting a defense. The Survivor's Enclave is the one bright spot in this dismal world, a place where Westmarch's few living inhabitants can find rest and safety from the evils of the outside world. Reaper of Souls is due in 2014, or as Blizzard likes to call it, SoonTM. Blizzard unveils Diablo III's Reaper of Souls' Westmarch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Block by block: Hands-on with the Cube World alpha Posted: 30 Oct 2013 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, PvE, Opinion, Hands-On, Miscellaneous, Buy-to-Play From an outsider's perspective, Picroma's Cube World might look like yet another Minecraft clone. It has the same blocky appearance and voxel design of Mojang's money-printing sandbox, and though the color palette is brighter and the graphics more crisp, it would be easy to dismiss the title as a "me-too" copycat. "If you've played one cube-based game," says the veteran gamer who lives in your brain, "you've played them all." Despite the visual similarities, however, Cube World and Minecraft are extremely different games. Minecraft is a crafter's paradise, a world where you can build anything you can imagine. Cube World is an adventure game, and fans of MMOs will find it far closer to World of Warcraft or Guild Wars 2 than it is to the game that threatens huts with Creepers and allows you to build full-scale replicas of pretend spaceships. Cube World is unique, and even in alpha, it's something quite special. Continue reading Block by block: Hands-on with the Cube World alpha Block by block: Hands-on with the Cube World alpha originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| EverQuest Next may allow you to join multiple guilds Posted: 30 Oct 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Culture, Guilds, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next EverQuest Next's unique character structure is pushing SOE in the direction of allowing player characters to join more than one guild at a time. The community was nearly evenly split on the topic during the recent roundtable, with half loving the idea of one-guild-per-character, and the other half desiring a more... flexible arrangement. However, the studio saw a lot of discussion concerning creative ideas for connecting players with social groups. SOE is leaning toward allowing for multiple guild memberships because it anticipates that EverQuest Next's one-class-can-do-it-all flexibility will encourage players to reach out to several social circles. The following video posits situations like how a character may want to be in a social guild during the week but join a mass project guild for weekend work. Give it a watch and let us know what you think! Continue reading EverQuest Next may allow you to join multiple guilds EverQuest Next may allow you to join multiple guilds originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Elder Scrolls Online blog explores the werewolves of Tamriel Posted: 30 Oct 2013 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, PvP, News Items, PvE, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription, MMORPG It's no secret that as you adventure through the world of Elder Scrolls Online, there is a chance you will be set upon by vicious werewolves. It's also possible that you may become a werewolf yourself, cursed to roam the woods at night killing unwary hunters, howling at the moon, and surfing on vans. Today's ESO blog dives more deeply into lycnathropy in the game, discussing the design of player werewolves and the challenges it presented. The blog talks in-depth about inspirations for transformation and attack animations as well as tiny graphical touches like blood on your muzzle after a kill. It also touches on the player werewolf's sound design; the team took human, wolf, dog, and other animal noises to create sounds meant to strike fear into the hearts of other adventurers. The full post is worth a read if you're planning to spend the bulk of your time in ESO on four legs. The Elder Scrolls Online blog explores the werewolves of Tamriel originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Star Trek Online highlights its latest featured episode in a new trailer Posted: 30 Oct 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, Previews, News Items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play Star Trek Online players have had to wait a little while for the next featured episode, but the wait is finally over. A new video is available to show off the start of the next episode, Sphere of Influence. It all starts on New Romulus as the Republic tries to activate a newly discovered Iconian gateway... a project that leads to a massive earthquake, trapping the players and others underground with no avenue of escape. Except, you know, the mysterious gateway that could lead almost anywhere. What follows next is less clear, but it involves players taking the controls of an ancient starship and joining up with both Klingons and the Federation to fight off some new opponents. It's the sort of exploration, danger, and adventure that you'd expect from a featured episode, in short. We have the video embedded for you past the cut. Continue reading Star Trek Online highlights its latest featured episode in a new trailer Star Trek Online highlights its latest featured episode in a new trailer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Leaderboard: Why do you avoid sandboxes? Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, Sandbox, Leaderboard I'm pretty excited about Black Desert. It's a sandbox, for one thing. It's gorgeous, for another. Unfortunately I'll probably be playing it sans my usual MMO friends because it features open PvP. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of the lazy, toothless PvP implementations that typify sandbox MMOs, but I also don't avoid interesting games because of them. What about you, Massively readers? Is there a certain feature that keeps you from playing or enjoying sandbox MMOs? Vote and discuss after the cut!  Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!Continue reading Leaderboard: Why do you avoid sandboxes? Leaderboard: Why do you avoid sandboxes? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Dragon's Prophet introduces Highlord system in Europe Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dragon's Prophet It's always nice when new updates come close on the heels of launch. Sure, you've had only a little time to play and haven't yet explored all of the launch content, but updates give you the feeling of a game that keeps getting updated rather than one that's stagnant. Dragon's Prophet has only been out in Europe for a few weeks, but it's already getting its first major patch to include the Highlord system, allowing players to rule over islands controlled through territory wars. When an island is brought under control by an alliance, that alliance can appoint a Highlord who will be responsible for managing several aspects of the island. Aside from being able to set the taxation rates on that island, Highlords can also manage several defensive buffs to give the defending forces an advantage against would-be assaults. If you're playing the game in Europe, you can start enjoying this update now, along with the several bug fixes and improvements included in the same patch. Dragon's Prophet introduces Highlord system in Europe originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WildStar beta is coming this winter Posted: 30 Oct 2013 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, WildStar, Subscription Winter is coming, and with it -- the WildStar beta! That's right fans, the wait is almost over; come December, players will be able to experience the sci-fi game for themselves as well as help test it in preparation for its spring 2014 launch. If you want to sign up for a chance at beta, head over to the official site to apply. On top of that, according to Carbine, players should be "ready to be drowned in WildStar details from now through launch." That information will include the reveal of the final two classes, but not before all the other classes are re-introduced to show off the progress made on each. Be on the look out for more episodes of the new livestream series that debuted this week to help bring you this deluge of news. In the meantime, enjoy the teaser trailer below. [Thanks to Paul for the tip!] Continue reading WildStar beta is coming this winter WildStar beta is coming this winter originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Oct 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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A line of workstations for enthusiasts
Notebook sales starting to show signs of renewed life
The Devil is back and ready to play games
