MMO Updates

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• WildStar's gameplay is all too familiar to MMO vets
• Paul Sage on Elder Scrolls' elder game
• CCP still 'excited for friends and colleagues at Oculus'
• TERA's federation bills let you buy discontinued cash shop items
• Elsword imports crossover character, Elesis, from Grand Chase
• The Daily Grind: Is Elder Scrolls Online in a good shape to launch?
• MechWarrior vlog talks achievements, the Banshee, and more
• Marvel Heroes doesn't fear the reaper
• Facebook pays two billion bucks to acquire Oculus Rift company
• Heroes of the Storm shows off Tyrael
• DDO player council members offer testimonies
• Star Trek Online overhauls reputation bonus abilities
• New Swordsmain trailer focuses on your story
• Massively Speaking Episode 290: The Skyforge is the limit
• The Elder Scrolls Online answers your launch questions in advance
• Albion Online's alpha begins today, updates highlighted in video
• Defiance's Arktech Revolution DLC beefs up progression and protagonists
• Here's some of the cyberbullying that happens in EVE Online
• Taurokians are Pantheon's sixth playable race
• Flameseeker Chronicles: Looking forward to Guild Wars 2's feature pack

WildStar's gameplay is all too familiar to MMO vets Posted: 26 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Opinion, Hands-On, WildStar, Subscription, MMORPG WildStar has a lot going for it. I might tell you it is the new RIFT, which was the new World of Warcraft, which was the new EverQuest, and I'd almost feel done for the day. Now, I don't buy an MMO and subscribe to it unless I intend to play it regularly for at least three months, and I rarely subscribe to multiple MMOs. Since WildStar is coming out in a year already packed with solid MMO releases, I'd like to consider at the pros and cons of the game in relation to the rest of the industry through the eyes of an MMO veteran. Continue reading WildStar's gameplay is all too familiar to MMO vets WildStar's gameplay is all too familiar to MMO vets originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Mar 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Paul Sage on Elder Scrolls' elder game Posted: 26 Mar 2014 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, PvE, Dungeons, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription "When your character in Elder Scrolls Online reaches level 50," ZeniMax says, "the journey isn't over." This is good news for those of you concerned about Elder Scrolls' elder game, and creative director Paul Sage has authored a lengthy blog post that spells out the current post-50 options. Said options include solo or duo PvP, small group PvP, large group PvP, solo or duo PvE, four-person group PvE, and 12-person group PvE. Sage also talks up ESO's first adventure zone, an area called Craglorn that is built for a four-person group despite being the size of a standard PvE zone. Read all about it via the links below. Paul Sage on Elder Scrolls' elder game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Mar 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Veteran content

CCP still 'excited for friends and colleagues at Oculus' Posted: 26 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO Industry, News Items News of the Oculus-Facebook buyout may have saddened gamers -- including Minecraft maestro Markus "Notch" Persson -- but EVE Online developer CCP is taking the corporate high road. The company, which is polishing a virtual reality action title called EVE: Valkyrie that will be co-published by Oculus, put a positive spin on the future of the Rift without mentioning the $2 billion Facebook acquisition. "We're very excited for our friends and colleagues at Oculus," CCP told Engadget. "We share their vision about the future of VR and gaming and are looking forward to participating in the consumer launch of the Oculus Rift with Eve: Valkyrie." CCP announced at last week's GDC that Valkyrie will also appear on the PlayStation 4 in conjunction with Sony's Project Morpheus initiative. CCP still 'excited for friends and colleagues at Oculus' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Mar 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Engadget

TERA's federation bills let you buy discontinued cash shop items Posted: 26 Mar 2014 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, TERA En Masse has added a new wrinkle to its TERA cash shop. The next time you log into the free-to-play fantasy brawler, you'll receive a pack of five federation bills for your trouble. You'll get five more on each subsequent login "for a limited time," and En Masse will be "introducing more and more ways to get them" in the future. The bills aren't tradeable, but you can share them across all the characters on your account. They're used at exclusive merchants in towns spread throughout Arborea to purchase "some of those rare items no longer available anywhere else" as well as "plenty of other goodies and treats." [Thanks Dengar!] TERA's federation bills let you buy discontinued cash shop items originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Mar 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Elsword imports crossover character, Elesis, from Grand Chase Posted: 26 Mar 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Interviews, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play If you're a fan of KOG Games' Elsword or Grand Chase -- or better yet, both -- then this morning's character launch will be of interest. The studio is bringing Grand Chase character Elesis, who happens to be the sister of title character Elsword, over to the game named Elsword. There's some wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff in there, we're sure. According to the release, Elesis marks Elsword's first female melee character and a rare crossover promotion for the genre: "Elesis fights with steel and fire. [...] Starting her attacks by swinging her wicked fire-imbued Claymore, she gestures with her off hand for a flame-lash from below, all the while continuing to chain a sinister salvo of fire and blade attack combinations. [T]he more she attacks, the more powerful she becomes!" We spoke to KOG Games about today's new roster addition. Read on! Continue reading Elsword imports crossover character, Elesis, from Grand Chase Elsword imports crossover character, Elesis, from Grand Chase originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Mar 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Is Elder Scrolls Online in a good shape to launch? Posted: 26 Mar 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Launches, Opinion, The Daily Grind, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription Right now is the calm before the Elder Scrolls Online storm, the holding of one's breath before it can be released next week. I won't be playing it but I'm happy for those of you who will, since a major new MMO release is always a cause for celebration and energizes the larger community. However, I have one question today that I'd like to put out to those of you who were in the beta test, either extensively or during one of the weekends: Is ESO in a good shape to launch? Did it get adequate testing? Are the bugs fixed or is it an insect-lover's paradise in there? Is it being pushed out the door firmly but prematurely due to a fixed date or is it sailing gracefully on its own steam with no major reservations? Do you take the devs' words that launch will be a polished, lag-free experience? 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: Is Elder Scrolls Online in a good shape to launch? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Mar 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

MechWarrior vlog talks achievements, the Banshee, and more Posted: 25 Mar 2014 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Classes, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, MechWarrior Online Interested in MechWarrior Online? Got a spare 11 minutes and 43 seconds? Then you'll want to watch the latest Ask the Devs vlog which covers a wide range of topics relating to the sci-fi MMO's ongoing development. Topics include recent jump-jet changes, the game's achievement system, design challenges on the Banshee, and more. The full video clip is embedded after the cut. If you're unable to view it, there's a transcript on the official MWO forums via the links below. Continue reading MechWarrior vlog talks achievements, the Banshee, and more MechWarrior vlog talks achievements, the Banshee, and more originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: MWO forums

Marvel Heroes doesn't fear the reaper Posted: 25 Mar 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Events (In-Game), News Items, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes Seasons don't fear the reaper, nor does Iron Man or the Thing or Squirrel Girl. Phoenix is probably on a first-name basis with the reaper at this point. And Marvel Heroes doesn't want you to fear the reaper either, as the game is running a special event dubbed Don't Fear The Reaper. No, the event will not involve Romeo and Juliet being together in eternity, but it will instead feature increased rewards from a variety of challenges while also offering increased experience and item find rates. X-Defense, Terminals, Midtown, and Holo-Sims will all feature enhanced rewards on a rotation schedule from now until April 1st. The bonus reward changes every few hours, giving you reason to change what you're doing, and the entire game will benefit from improved experience gain and item find rates while the event is running. Check out the announcement for the exact schedule of rewards so you can be ready to fly -- which might not be all that different from normal, come to think of it. Marvel Heroes doesn't fear the reaper originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Don't Fear the Reaper

Facebook pays two billion bucks to acquire Oculus Rift company Posted: 25 Mar 2014 04:40 PM PDT Filed under: Business Models, MMO Industry, News Items, Miscellaneous So why is Facebook shelling out two billion dollars to buy up the company making the Oculus Rift VR headset? "We're going to focus on helping Oculus build out their product and develop partnerships to support more game," says Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg. "But this is just the start. After games, we're going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences. Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face -- just by putting on goggles in your home." The Oculus team members likewise posted a picture of themselves rolling around in piles of money a dev blog explaining the partnership: "It gives us the best shot at truly changing the world. It opens doors to new opportunities and partnerships, reduces risk on the manufacturing and work capital side, allows us to publish more made-for-VR content, and lets us focus on what we do best: solving hard engineering challenges and delivering the future of VR." If you're looking for the Do Not Like button, there still isn't one. Facebook pays two billion bucks to acquire Oculus Rift company originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: OR dev blog, Facebook Via: Joystiq

Heroes of the Storm shows off Tyrael Posted: 25 Mar 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Previews, News Items, MOBA You remember Tyrael, right? Tall guy? He was in your class in high school? Glowing wings coming out of his back, divine embodiment of justice, enjoyed smiting evil? He was in Diablo III, remember? Anyway, he's got a new gig; he's showing up in Heroes of the Storm now. Yeah, still doing what he loves, slicing up demons. You do what you're good at, right? The trailer showing off Tyrael doesn't offer a picture of how he'll play but does serve as a nifty little glimpse into how the game will both look and feel. You can check the trailer out just past the cut if you haven't gotten enough Diablo III action already with the expansion release. Continue reading Heroes of the Storm shows off Tyrael Heroes of the Storm shows off Tyrael originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

DDO player council members offer testimonies Posted: 25 Mar 2014 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Culture, Interviews, Free-to-Play Turbine carted out Dungeons and Dragons Online's player council for a bit of sun today and made an attempt at more transparency by allowing the representatives to give testimonies as to what the experience is like. "We have been asked feedback on things that are at a very early stage of creation (if not only on paper) and there's a real interaction between us and the designers/developers," council member Flavilandile wrote. "Yes, it doesn't means that in the end what we suggest will be implemented, but there's is a real interaction and I feel that they are listening to us when we voice our concern on a topic." "I'm enjoying it, having fun. Though I'm hard pressed to say we're having the impact we might. The dialog I expected (perhaps unrealistically) is there, but it is more limited than I would have liked," council member IronClan added. For the full range of testimonies, check out the post on the official site. DDO player council members offer testimonies originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Players council update #1

Star Trek Online overhauls reputation bonus abilities Posted: 25 Mar 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Patches, Endgame, News Items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Subscription Reputation in Star Trek Online doesn't just give material rewards; higher reputation is directly tied to new abilities and enhancements for both ships and captains. Season 9 is already improving and renovating the system for advancing in reputation, and that means the developers are taking a closer look at the existing system as explained in the latest development blog. That examination showed off some real issues with the extra powers for veterans compared to new characters at the level cap. It came down to the simple fact that the setup was not viable forever, and as more reputations came in, the gap in power would start becoming sizable. So what does it mean? A new setup for the various reputation powers. Starting with Season 9, powers will be renamed to Reputation Traits, with all captains receiving four slots for Ground Traits, four slots for Space Traits, and four slots for active abilities. These slots can be reallocated at any time, as well, letting you choose from a wider pool of tricks as your reputations advance. Take a look at the latest development blog for details on how the existing abilities will be changing to be more powerful with the new system. Star Trek Online overhauls reputation bonus abilities originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Season 9 Dev Blog #5

New Swordsmain trailer focuses on your story Posted: 25 Mar 2014 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Free-to-Play Perfect World Entertainment has a new trailer out for its upcoming Swordsman martial arts MMO, this time focusing on the title's backstory and luscious visuals. As in any classic RPG, you start in an innocent village that comes under attack by a sinister foe. Barely escaping with your life, you begin to train in one of the 10 schools and investigate said foe while leaping on top of buildings and being all wire-fu on the world. Check out the short trailer after the jump and let us know what you think! Continue reading New Swordsmain trailer focuses on your story New Swordsmain trailer focuses on your story originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Introducing the world of Swordsman

Massively Speaking Episode 290: The Skyforge is the limit Posted: 25 Mar 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Podcasts, MMO Industry, News Items, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous We've got a hodge-podge of topics for today's episode, ranging from new game announcements to beta transitions to why modders might be a bit grumpy this week. Also, we brought Jef on the show today to help us catch up on a particular sandbox that might actually be coming to the west this year. So the sky's the limit for this discussion -- all we need are your ears! Get all of our opinions and analysis on the most important stories of the past week right here on Massively Speaking, the industry's leading MMO podcast. And if you have a comment, question, or topic for the podcasters, send an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. [iTunes] Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. [Stitcher] Follow the podcast on Stitcher Radio. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 290: The Skyforge is the limit Massively Speaking Episode 290: The Skyforge is the limit originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The Elder Scrolls Online answers your launch questions in advance Posted: 25 Mar 2014 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, News Items, Consoles, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription Are you ready for the launch of The Elder Scrolls Online? The earliest access starts in just five days. But if you've got the five-day headstart, when can you actually log in? When can you first enter the game on launch day? The answer, as outlined in the new launch FAQ on the site, is 7:00 a.m. EDT on March 30th for 5-day early access, 7:00 a.m. EDT on April 1st for 3-day early access, and 7:00 p.m. EDT on April 4th for the full launch. There's more useful information in the launch FAQ, as well. Beta participants will not need to re-download the client, and the full retail patch can be downloaded as early as March 27th. You will be able to upgrade to the game's Imperial Edition following the launch, but the Explorer's Pack requires a pre-order. For any other questions you might have, take a gander at the full FAQ to make sure you're ready to go when the servers open up. The Elder Scrolls Online answers your launch questions in advance originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Early Access and Launch FAQ

Albion Online's alpha begins today, updates highlighted in video Posted: 25 Mar 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox Are you interested in diving into Albion Online's closed alpha that launched today? If so, zip on over to the official site; the cross-platform sandbox offered a limited number of keys for this test run, and you can still sign up for a chance at a testing spot even if you missed out on the giveaway. Testers will see new updates that include customizable player housing which can affect player stats, new guild functionality including customizable coats of arms and searching for guild tools, a local marketplace for trade, and an in-game mail system. Players can also choose from more male avatars as well as the new female avatars. Get a glimpse of house building as well as the other updates in the video below. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release] Continue reading Albion Online's alpha begins today, updates highlighted in video Albion Online's alpha begins today, updates highlighted in video originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Defiance's Arktech Revolution DLC beefs up progression and protagonists Posted: 25 Mar 2014 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Patches, Previews, MMOFPS, Defiance, Buy-to-Play Defiance announced its fifth DLC pack today, Arktech Revolution, and with it a host of changes to make good guys stronger and bad guys nastier. On the player side of things, Defiance will be increasing the EGO rating cap, adding in new EGO perks, scaling up weapon damage, modifying weapon damage types, and throwing in armor plates for added defensive capabilities. Over at enemy H.Q., mobs will become more difficult with new enemy difficulty tiers and skills introduced into the game. Arktech Revolution will also contain expert co-op maps, dynamic event scaling, and tweaks to how consumables work. Defiance's Arktech Revolution DLC beefs up progression and protagonists originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Arktech Revolution

Here's some of the cyberbullying that happens in EVE Online Posted: 25 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Culture, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Sandbox EVE Online griefers have grabbed their share of headlines during the game's first decade, but rarely have the masses gotten a chance to witness them in action. Now you can, though, thanks to a player named Erotica 1 who has publicized an audio recording of a "Bonus Round" scam being carried out via voice chat. Jester at EVE News 24 has the full story as well as a link to the Soundcloud file. It's worth noting that portions of the audio are NSFW due to graphic language. [Thanks Max!] Here's some of the cyberbullying that happens in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EVE News 24

Taurokians are Pantheon's sixth playable race Posted: 25 Mar 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Races, Crowdfunding, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen Even though Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen isn't slated to arrive until 2017, Visionary Realms continues to update its website with various featurettes. The latest such focuses on the Taurokian, a "planned playable race" that is known for its "strength, speed, and frenzied charging ability" that is often used "to gore large formations of troops." If you're counting at home, Taurokians are Pantheon's sixth playable race, and you can read all about them by clicking below. Taurokians are Pantheon's sixth playable race originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Taurokians

Flameseeker Chronicles: Looking forward to Guild Wars 2's feature pack Posted: 25 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles, Buy-to-Play The dust has barely settled on the Battle for Lion's Arch: Aftermath release, but ArenaNet is already releasing blog posts to discuss Guild Wars 2's April 15th feature pack. What's a feature pack? Well, it's exactly what it says on the tin: We'll be getting a big chunk of gameplay updates, quality-of-life improvements, and balance tweaks that don't fit into the living world or have story components. I usually refer to this stuff as "stuff," but "feature pack" definitely sounds more classy. As I write this, we've gotten posts on three of the topics locked up in the official feature pack site's nifty little sidebar doodad: one covering updates to the trait system; another to outline balance changes for runes, sigils and professions; and another to talk about swapping critical damage percentage for a new attribute called Ferocity. I have a lot to say about traits, but I'm also going to spend some time speculating on the next two blog posts in the lineup. There's nothing I love more than making half-baked predictions. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Looking forward to Guild Wars 2's feature pack Flameseeker Chronicles: Looking forward to Guild Wars 2's feature pack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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