MMO Updates

MMO Updates

The Division developers explain the 2015 delay

Posted: 21 May 2014 10:00 AM PDT

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Because sometimes you can't have what you want when you want it?
A lot of people weren't particularly surprised to learn that The Division was being delayed until 2015, but it's still nice to find out exactly why. After all, if you're looking forward to the game at all, you would like to see it sooner rather than later. Gamereactor recently spoke with the development studio, and the developers explained the core reason behind the delay as simply being a matter of properly exploring the concept rather than releasing an unfinished game on a tighter schedule.

According to the interview, the development team was upset at the original announcement of a 2014 release, as there had been no in-house discussion of release dates. The game's engine is quite powerful, but even the 2015 date may be overly optimistic, with The Division's multiplayer components still having major issues with implementation. Hopefully the delays will help ensure that the game is more polished and playable when it does release, whether that's in 2015 or later.

MassivelyThe Division developers explain the 2015 delay originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Defiance crossover missions live this week

Posted: 21 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

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Defiance
Trion has announced the availability of new crossover missions in its Defiance sci-fi shooter this week. The Cradle to Grave storyline "affects the entire Defiance universe," the company says, so if you're a completist you'll want to check it out to see how it relates to SyFy's ongoing television series.

The missions focus on Eren, the first Earthling-Votan hybrid who is colloquially known as the hope of Tranquility.

MassivelyNew Defiance crossover missions live this week originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall's economy patch is live, role-focused livestream at 1:00 p.m. EDT

Posted: 21 May 2014 08:00 AM PDT

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Darkfall
Aventurine has released Darkfall's latest patch, and it introduces a number of tweaks to the fantasy PvP sandbox's economy. The devs have added high-yield harvesting nodes "in order to promote more active harvesting activities," according to the patch notes. Said nodes will always be full as long as only one player is harvesting, and they also drop new rares instead of essences, which allows players to skip the rare essence conversion step.

New (and more expensive) rare tools are now available for crafting, and new basic materials have been added as well.

Darkfall devs are also hosting a livestream today at 1:00 p.m. EDT to answer questions on the game's custom roles revamp.

[Thanks Jane!]

MassivelyDarkfall's economy patch is live, role-focused livestream at 1:00 p.m. EDT originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elder Scrolls Online's Craglorn update coming this week

Posted: 21 May 2014 07:00 AM PDT

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Elder Scrolls Online
ZeniMax creative director Paul Sage told IGN that Elder Scrolls Online's endgame-focused Craglorn update is coming this week.

"I think we're still at the tail-end of six weeks, I could be wrong there, it's all a blur," Sage said. "But we're either in the sixth week or the seventh with this update and I believe our next update is fairly on schedule," he said. After Craglorn, ZeniMax plans to unveil the Crypt of Hearts veteran dungeon.

IGN also says that it talked to Sage about player housing, the Thieves Guild, and the Dark Brotherhood, though the website has decided to stretch the interview across multiple articles so that information won't be available until later in the week.

MassivelyElder Scrolls Online's Craglorn update coming this week originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you resent PvP balance tweaks for impacting PvE?

Posted: 21 May 2014 06:00 AM PDT

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Black Desert
For a good long while I was downright antagonistic to all things PvP, whereas today I do my best to peacefully ignore the fact that PvP happens in MMOs. A big reason for my former hostility wasn't because PvP is a different style of gameplay that I didn't enjoy, but because I'd often see my PvE skills nerfed or negatively tweaked because they were considered overpowered and unfair in PvP. My teeth grated at the injustice of my PvE experience being dinged because of what happened over there in PvP-land.

Not all MMOs handle balance issues between the two worlds this way, as some create different skill sets for each, but that's unfortunately not always the case. It's also possible that devs have gotten a lot better at melding the two worlds when it comes to skills and talents that are carried between them. I'm still wary, however.

So do you see this happening, and if or when it does, do you resent PvP balance tweaks for impacting PvE?

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: Do you resent PvP balance tweaks for impacting PvE? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Black Gold devs talk art design, 'clash of styles'

    Posted: 20 May 2014 07:00 PM PDT

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    Black Gold art
    Snail's latest promotional post for Black Gold focuses on the game's distinctive visuals and art design. While there's little in the way of new gameplay information here, there is plenty of arresting concept art that melds fantasy, Victorian futurism, Wild West motifs, and of course steampunk.

    MassivelyBlack Gold devs talk art design, 'clash of styles' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Jukebox Heroes: Guild Wars 2's living story soundtrack

    Posted: 20 May 2014 06:00 PM PDT

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    I'm going to make a bold statement here that might net me some haters, but here goes: I think that Guild Wars 2 is better off now that it's cast off Jeremy Soule and moved on to in-house composers. Soule's soundtrack was great in parts, but he's not the be-all, end-all of good video game music. And his company's unexplained decision to yank the soundtrack from its store (and not even offer a digital version) irks me beyond the telling of it. Good luck finding it!

    So today I'm going to give tribute to the two men who have been forging ahead -- spectacularly, I might add -- with scoring Guild Wars 2's ongoing living story updates. Maclaine Diemer and Leif Chappelle have been whipping up a wide variety of tunes to go with the various story elements and events. To ArenaNet's credit, the studio has been posting these downloadable tracks for free on SoundCloud.

    And while rumor has it that Diemer and Chappelle are already composing music for season two, I thought it'd be worthwhile to go back and share some of my favorites from their season one portfolio. I won't be dipping into Super Adventure Box, however, as we did that last year.

    Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Guild Wars 2's living story soundtrack

    MassivelyJukebox Heroes: Guild Wars 2's living story soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Legend of Silkroad begins open beta warfare

      Posted: 20 May 2014 05:00 PM PDT

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      Legend of Silkroad
      The historical fantasy MMO Legend of Silkroad began its open beta today, inviting any and all in who wish to sample its digital wares.

      Legend of Silkroad is a tri-faction MMO that focuses on the economic and military conflict between three old world nations. It has a robust PvP system that encourages murder most foul in order to control the titular silk road. Or as the official site puts it, "Persia, Rome and China.. Who is the One of the all continents?"

      Who indeed, readers. Who indeed.

      You can check out a trailer for Legend of Silkroad after the jump!

      Continue reading Legend of Silkroad begins open beta warfare

      MassivelyLegend of Silkroad begins open beta warfare originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Star Trek Online celebrates New Romulus Weekend

      Posted: 20 May 2014 04:30 PM PDT

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      STO
      Star Trek Online is pulling out all the stops for the first anniversary of its Legacy of Romulus expansion with a special weekend event.

      New Romulus Weekend will be handing out quadruple Romulan Mark rewards for New Romulus missions from May 22nd through the 27th. Cryptic is also putting both Legacy of Romulus editions on sale during this time, offering the starter pack for 2,000 ZEN and the legacy pack for 12,500 ZEN.

      Even after the weekend event is over, Romulan Mark rewards will remain doubled from here on out as a tribute to the expansion and the players' involvement in it.

      MassivelyStar Trek Online celebrates New Romulus Weekend originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      EVE Online phases out time codes, releases Bloodbath of B-R5RB video

      Posted: 20 May 2014 04:00 PM PDT

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      Reducing the number of entries on your spreadsheet by one!
      If you want to subscribe to EVE Online, you aren't lacking for options. You can sign up for a monthly subscription, of course, but you can also purchase EVE time codes and PLEX. PLEX have the advantage of being tradeable within the in-game market, and you can use them to upgrade from a trial account to a full account. Or you can carry them around in a ship so that when it gets blown up, people can attach a real currency number to how much you lost.

      Clearly, PLEX have more to offer, which is why EVE Online is phasing out EVE time codes in favor of PLEX activation codes. The net prices are identical, but the effect is that subscription time will be awarded as PLEX, which you can use in all of the many ways you already use PLEX. For more details and a quick rundown of how PLEX work, check out the official blog entry.

      In other EVE news, CCP has released to its YouTube channel a Recording History video chronicling the events that triggered the Bloodbath of B-R5RB. We've included it below. [With thanks to tipster J!]

      Continue reading EVE Online phases out time codes, releases Bloodbath of B-R5RB video

      MassivelyEVE Online phases out time codes, releases Bloodbath of B-R5RB video originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      38 Studios knew $75M loan wasn't enough to finish Project Copernicus

      Posted: 20 May 2014 03:30 PM PDT

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      38 Studios
      Emails surfacing from the legal fracas concerning 38 Studios and its loan from Rhode Island indicate that the studio knew the loan was not nearly enough to fully fund the game but decided to hide that from outsiders.

      38 Studios Vice Chairman Thomas Zaccagnino allegedly sent one the damning emails, urging a few studio execs to remain mum on the financial situation: "I really do not think we should highlight the fact that we might be under-capitalized... [it] won't go over well with the staff or board."

      The email was in response to CEO Jen MacLean, who wrote that she was concerned that the state wasn't delivering the full $75 million from the agreement and that the project would fall short of funding because of this.

      One lawyer involved in both the deal and the lawsuit said that the state knew that the deal wasn't enough to fully fund: "The [EDC] Board was acutely aware that the capital needs of 38 Studios where [sic] in excess of $125MM as acknowledged in the 2010 EDC Inducement Resolution[.] The Board also knew that the net proceeds of the EDC Loan would be less than $75MM."

      Massively38 Studios knew $75M loan wasn't enough to finish Project Copernicus originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Take a look at the next Allods Online update, Colors of War

      Posted: 20 May 2014 03:00 PM PDT

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      Have you ever seen a newbie get a ten-kill streak, or asked what your PvP talents are for? You need to understand the rhythm of the new maps - you must paint with all the colors of the war.
      When will players in North America get to see the new race being added to Allods Online? It's hard to say. It's easier to say when they'll see the next major update to the game, however, as the Colors of War update is already live for the Russian server and is being localized for North America and European players now. So you can expect it within a month or so. And what does it contain? Like the name says, war.

      Players will be able to explore a revamped Kingdom of Elements with several redesigned battle points as well as a new variant style of capture-the-flag in the Training Grounds. The Raid Dominion system has also undergone extensive remaking, adding in new elements like gun mounts to change the face of these battles. That's in addition to major class changes for Wardens and a revamp of the old Tika-Rek's cave. Check out the patch trailer just past the break.

      [Thanks to K for the tip!]

      Continue reading Take a look at the next Allods Online update, Colors of War

      MassivelyTake a look at the next Allods Online update, Colors of War originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Today's EverQuest Next roundtable video covers SOE Live's EQN plans

      Posted: 20 May 2014 02:30 PM PDT

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      SOE
      During this week's EverQuest Next roundtable video, Senior Brand Manager Omeed Dariani is joined by Senior Producer Terry Michaels to discuss SOE Live, set to take place in Las Vegas this coming August 14th to 17th. The pair explain that players have voted resoundingly that SOE focus on previewing panels, specifically EverQuest Next panels, in the lead up to the convention. And yes, SOE is planning on illuminating EverQuest Next, not just Landmark and the studio's current stable of games, in Vegas.

      "Remember that Landmark is really the basis for how we're going to make EverQuest Next," Michaels reminds viewers. "So it may be a topic that is primarily Landmark-related, but there's going to be information in there for people who want to know how things are going to work in EverQuest Next."

      Enjoy the brief video below!

      Continue reading Today's EverQuest Next roundtable video covers SOE Live's EQN plans

      MassivelyToday's EverQuest Next roundtable video covers SOE Live's EQN plans originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Massively Speaking Episode 298: WildStar's raid team

      Posted: 20 May 2014 02:00 PM PDT

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      WildStar
      Continuing with our series of pre-WildStar interviews, Eliot and Justin grapple with the (ahem) "hardcore" endgame of raiding as we welcome Brett Scheinert and Mike Donatelli onto the show. Hey, 36 more people on this podcast and we could actually get a group going!

      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.
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      Listen here on the page:



      Read below the cut for the full show notes.

      Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 298: WildStar's raid team

      MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 298: WildStar's raid team originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

        HEX developers reject copyright infringement allegations

        Posted: 20 May 2014 01:30 PM PDT

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        HEX
        Last week, Wizards of the Coast filed a lawsuit accusing Cryptozoic, the studio behind upcoming MMOTCG HEX, of "willful infringement of intellectual property rights," among other patent and trademark infringement claims. Cryptozoic has responded this week with a statement rejecting what it's calling "frivolous" complaints:
        Although we take all pending litigation seriously, we do not find any merit to the allegations in the complaint. We do not expect this frivolous legal action to impact our efforts to deliver a compelling and entertaining game experience to our customers.

        HEX: Shards of Fate is a digital only MMO-TCG that attempts to innovate what a digital trading card game can be. Its digital only nature allows it to push the boundaries in ways a traditional paper TCG never could. As a small company, the daunting task of defending ourselves from the bullying of a much larger corporation is difficult, but we are committed to HEX: Shards of Fate and ultimately we will prevail.

        We respect intellectual property rights, but the right to make a TCG is not exclusive to WOTC. Many TCGs can, and do, coexist consistent with any IP rights WOTC might have. While IP rights are important, so is fair competition. WOTC cannot snuff out fair competition with frivolous infringement assertions.
        The original complaint is viewable online.

        MassivelyHEX developers reject copyright infringement allegations originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Asheron's Call 1 and 2 go free-to-play in August

        Posted: 20 May 2014 01:00 PM PDT

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        Asheron's Call
        We are in the final months of a pay-for-play Asheron's Call, as Turbine announced yesterday that it will not be charging a subscription after June 31st.

        "As of August 2014, Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2 will no longer charge a subscription fee for players," Turbine posted. "The last payments will be processed on June 31st, making July the final 'paid' month. Note that this means some players will technically receive some portion of July free as a result, as we have decided to absorb the cost and not run partial payments to cover it."

        The free-to-play version of both MMOs will continue operating, although new or lapsed players will need to pony up $10 to activate an account. Turbine also said that the forums will remain running, that help will be limited, and that it will no longer be doing MSN Zone migrations after May 31st.

        As for player-run servers, Turbine plans to offer up a "basic" Asheron's Call server and client download by the end of the year, supported by new sub-forums.

        [Thanks to Jack for the tip!]

        MassivelyAsheron's Call 1 and 2 go free-to-play in August originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Flameseeker Chronicles: Why we don't have Cantha in Guild Wars 2

        Posted: 20 May 2014 12:00 PM PDT

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        These lanterns are so nostalgic.
        How about those predictions, huh? Last week I guessed that Guild Wars 2 would get a visit from the Zephyr Sanctum soon, and boom: Festival of the Four Winds exploding all over the place. Having used up my allotment of precognitive accuracy for the year, I plan to gorge myself on delicious sky candy and spend the next week or so literally bouncing off the walls. Before the festivities start, though, we've got just enough time to visit a topic near to my heart: Cantha.

        ArenaNet receives very frequent requests to revive the setting of Guild Wars: Factions in GW2, and between GW2's Chinese release, the level of mystery surrounding season two of the living world, and the return of the Zephyrites, it's natural that people would start talking about Cantha again. It might seem baffling that ArenaNet hasn't rushed to steer the living world story in such an obviously popular direction, but unfortunately it's not as simple as loading us on the next airship and flying away to Seitung Harbor -- at least not yet.

        Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Why we don't have Cantha in Guild Wars 2

        MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Why we don't have Cantha in Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          World of Warcraft previews cosmetic class accessories

          Posted: 20 May 2014 11:30 AM PDT

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          If you're harboring a sneaking suspicion that these will be locked behind raiding and unavailable to most players, congratulations! Your pattern recognition skills are exceptional.
          What's the immediate visual difference between a Warrior and a Paladin in World of Warcraft if they're not using abilities? There's not much of one. Which seems a little odd, seeing as these are two classes with immense difference in lore. That's why the art team is showing off a preview of things to come in the form of cosmetic class customization. The idea is that classes should have bits of visual flair to distinguish them without being tied to stats.

          The preview shows off potential accessories for Rogues, Hunters, and Paladins, accessories that start off simple and get more elaborate over time. The design blog also points out that this is not something likely to be in for launch of Warlords of Draenor, although whether it might be included in a later patch or the next expansion altogether is somewhat ambiguous. Check out the full design preview for more details about what the designers envision.

          MassivelyWorld of Warcraft previews cosmetic class accessories originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          LotRO's Spring Festival returns with mushy romance and smooshy shrews

          Posted: 20 May 2014 11:00 AM PDT

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          LOTRO
          Were you wondering if Lord of the Rings Online forgot about its Spring Festival? Well, it didn't; the festivities have begun anew today and will continue through June 3rd.

          LotRO's Spring Festival includes the notorious hedge maze, the manic shrew-stomping event, horse races, romance-themed quests, and the continuing rivalry between the Ale Association and the Inn League. It's a good time of the year to stock up on cosmetic items, reputation points, and general tomfoolery, so get to it!

          MassivelyLotRO's Spring Festival returns with mushy romance and smooshy shrews originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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