MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Captain's Log: Can Star Trek Online craft a future for crafting?

Posted: 06 Jan 2014 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , ,

STO Memory Alpha
This week I'll be dedicating a whole column on the current state of crafting in Star Trek Online. If there's one thing upon which most Star Trek Online players agree, it's that the crafting system in STO needs a complete overhaul. But there's a very real question as to whether or not an overhaul is even feasible.

When it comes to business, it's usually best to save those parts of a business plan that are working so as not to waste the investments already made. In relation to MMOs, the same considerations should (and in the case of publicly-held companies, is legally required to) be granted to all aspects of its product. Since most MMOs have multiple features typical to all games (PvP, crafting, housing, PvE, etc.) each one of these facets' productivity matters.

If a single feature assists in keeping players in-game, then there's more potential for revenue generation to occur. If a feature not only keeps a player in-game but is, in and of itself, a point of revenue generation, then it's all the better for the company and therefore its shareholders.

Continue reading Captain's Log: Can Star Trek Online craft a future for crafting?

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Can Star Trek Online craft a future for crafting? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jan 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

    Elder Scrolls Online player emperors will gain a permanent skill set

    Posted: 06 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , , , ,

    ESO
    Are you wondering what you'll get when you become emperor of Elder Scrolls Online -- other than a fancy suit of armor, that is?

    The Official Xbox Magazine discovered that player emperors will gain a skill line that they will retain for the rest of their time in the game. The skills will persist even if the position of emperor is lost, although the skills will be toned down somewhat in that case.

    Becoming emperor won't be easy, however (as if you thought otherwise). To do so, a player will need to do a heckuva lot of PvP to gain alliance points. If a player's alliance conquers all of the keeps around the Imperial City and that player has the most alliance points when it happens, he or she will be crowned emperor.

    MassivelyElder Scrolls Online player emperors will gain a permanent skill set originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jan 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

    The Repopulation surpasses 2nd KickStarter goal, moves on to stretch

    Posted: 06 Jan 2014 07:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , , , , , ,

    While some were skeptical about a second Kickstarter campaign for The Repopulation, fans showed their support by helping the upcoming sandbox reach its goal over the weekend. Now, with 20 days still to go the focus shifts to the stretch goals, which include various mounts (the Rocharus at $60K is seen above), PvP arenas, a moddable UI, traveling shops, and more. On top of the successful campaign, The Repopulation is also receiving overwhelmingly positive support on its Steam Greenlight campagn; it's currently in fifth place.

    Want to learn even more about the game? If the recent three-hour Q&A livestream wasn't enough to satisfy you, Above & Beyond Technologies' creator J.C. Smith chatted with The Noobist about ongoing world story, the horticulture system, animal breeding, trade, and much more.

    MassivelyThe Repopulation surpasses 2nd KickStarter goal, moves on to stretch originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jan 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

    The Stream Team: Snow shark edition, January 6 - 12, 2014

    Posted: 06 Jan 2014 06:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , , ,

    What do you do when Mother Nature decides to dump enough snow on you to recreate a life-size replica of The Wall? Most of us would hunker down at our desks and dive into the sunnier realms of our favorite virtual worlds. We're gamers; that's what we do. But I've since learned that there are those who actually go out in that powdery white stuff and do something constructive -- and I don't just mean shoveling (which is pretty much how I've spent this whole new year so far).

    Thanks to just such people, I have now experienced the Snow Shark. And I want one! If you haven't seen one yourself, you simply haven't lived yet. Now I am inspired to go do something with the foot of snow right outside my door, but what would I make? I may not be able to top a Snow Shark (who can?!), but I'm sure to get plenty of inspiration watching this week's Stream Team escapades on Massively TV.

    Continue reading The Stream Team: Snow shark edition, January 6 - 12, 2014

    MassivelyThe Stream Team: Snow shark edition, January 6 - 12, 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jan 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

      The Daily Grind: What's your favorite holiday event?

      Posted: 06 Jan 2014 05:00 AM PST

      Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

      Lord of the Rings Online's Winter-home theatre
      I don't typically do MMO holiday events, but last weekend I was roped into checking out Lord of the Rings Online's Winter-home shindig. Most of it was standard grind-for-reward-tokens stuff, but there was one bit set inside a theatre that was pretty memorable.

      Members from the audience were plucked at random to participate in a dev-scripted stage play, and depending upon how well you engaged the NPC audience with various character emotes, you could expect to be showered with either flower petals or rotten fruit courtesy of the player characters in the crowd.

      What about you, Massively readers? Do you do MMO holiday events, and if so, what's your favorite?

      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: What's your favorite holiday event? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jan 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

      Permalink | Email this | Comments

        MMO Week in Review: Altering the deal

        Posted: 05 Jan 2014 05:00 PM PST

        Filed under: , , , ,

        EQ Next Landmark
        At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post.

        To ring in the New Year the way only it can, Sony Online Entertainment shocked fans of its current and upcoming MMOs (and made some of us question our most-anticipated and best-studio picks) by rescinding longstanding subscriber benefits for several of its titles, swapping industry-standard cash-shop allowances for a single time-limited monthly gift item and reducing the attractiveness of subscriptions on the whole. Massively's EverQuest franchise columnist remains unimpressed by the studio's claims that the nerfs represent "added value" for players, especially considering that EverQuest Next Landmark is likely to enter pre-order alpha by the end of the month.

        Read on for a look at the rest of this week's top MMO stories.

        Continue reading MMO Week in Review: Altering the deal

        MassivelyMMO Week in Review: Altering the deal originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jan 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

          EVE Evolved: Designing EVE Onland, part 2

          Posted: 05 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

          EVE Evolved title image
          When it comes to living sandbox MMOs, there really isn't a bigger name than EVE Online. Throughout its decade-long history, EVE has produced some huge gaming headlines, delivered record-breaking in-game thefts and heists, and played host to the complex political machinations of dozens of warring alliances. EVE's sandbox design has even made it remarkably resistant to changes in the market, with subscription numbers remaining relatively stable in the face of new releases and the free to play phenomenon. It comes as no surprise then that the sandbox genre is seeing a triple-A revival, with games like Star Citizen, EverQuest Next Landmark, and Camelot Unchained on the way.

          With the sandbox genre due to explode back onto the fantasy scene, I've been left wondering how much of the core gameplay that makes EVE tick could be easily adapted for an avatar-based game on land. Even features such as EVE Online's trademark territorial warfare and player-run economy have roots in classic fantasy MMOs like Ultima Online, so they should be easy to convert to modern fantasy equivalents. Last week I started this game design thought experiment with a territorial warfare system and free-for-all PvP with harsh consequences for attackers, but there's a lot more to a good sandbox than smashing people's heads in.

          In this week's EVE Evolved, I delve into the hypothetical world of EVE Onland again and tackle issues of realistic world scale, exploration, economics, and the evils of global banking.

          Continue reading EVE Evolved: Designing EVE Onland, part 2

          MassivelyEVE Evolved: Designing EVE Onland, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jan 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

            World of Warcraft player hits level 80 without picking a faction

            Posted: 05 Jan 2014 11:00 AM PST

            Filed under: , , , , ,

            World of Warcraft
            World of Warcraft player Doubleagent is going strong on his quest to level his Pandaran as a truly neutral character, recently hitting level 80 for his efforts.

            When last we saw Doubleagent in August 2013, he had reached level 60 by engaging in herbalism and inscription as his sole source of XP. WoW Insider reports that he just recently crossed the level 80 barrier and hopes to reach level 81 within two weeks. Doubleagent started his quest to level a true neutral Pandaran back in September 2012.

            You can check out the moment of level 80 glory in his video after the break!

            Continue reading World of Warcraft player hits level 80 without picking a faction

            MassivelyWorld of Warcraft player hits level 80 without picking a faction originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jan 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

            Total Pageviews

            statcounter

            View My Stats