MMO Updates

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• Working As Intended: The unfortunate conflation of sandboxes and PvP
• TV producer looking for couples who met in MMOs
• Now you can get paid for making War Thunder content
• Darkfall adds siege engines, ladders, higher walls, and more
• The Daily Grind: What's the best MMO housing system of all time?
• Landmark: Guilds are a go!
• The Think Tank: Predicting the launch of Warlords of Draenor
• Albion Online offers a new gameplay trailer
• Das Tal jumps to Steam Greenlight
• RIFT addresses player auction house concerns
• Previewing Neverwinter's Tyranny of Dragons module
• Firefall launches its referral program
• Build an inn or trading post in World of Warcraft's Spires of Arak zone
• Star Trek Online officially announces Delta Rising expansion
• Games of Glory gets additional funds, cancels Kickstarter
• Norrathian Notebook: How to improve your Landmark building skills

Working As Intended: The unfortunate conflation of sandboxes and PvP Posted: 08 Aug 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, Opinion, Miscellaneous, Sandbox, Player-Generated Content, Working As Intended A certain perplexing belief about sandboxes pervades the blog comments, forums, and general chats of MMOs: All MMO sandboxes are free-for-all PvP games. If it doesn't have free-for-all PvP, it's by definition not a sandbox because sandboxes let the players make all the rules and decisions. Free-for-all PvP adds the necessary spice to keep you on your toes and keep a game fresh. Without it, you may as well be playing The Sims. All of these statements are wrong. Continue reading Working As Intended: The unfortunate conflation of sandboxes and PvP Working As Intended: The unfortunate conflation of sandboxes and PvP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Aug 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

TV producer looking for couples who met in MMOs Posted: 08 Aug 2014 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO Industry, News Items Back2Back Productions is looking for lovers who met in MMOs, according to a blurb at MCVUK. Founder David Notman-Watt told the website that a documentary featuring couples who met online and married in meatspace is currently filming and will air on a "major TV network." Notman-Watt says his firm is also searching out couples who've yet to connect offline. "It's fascinating to meet people whose relationships have blossomed as the line between roleplay and real life has become increasingly blurred." TV producer looking for couples who met in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Aug 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: MCVUK

Now you can get paid for making War Thunder content Posted: 08 Aug 2014 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Business Models, Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, War, Free-to-Play, Player-Generated Content Want to make a little real-world money from your War Thunder addiction? Now you can thanks to Gaijin's newly announced revenue-sharing initiative. In April of 2014, the devs released the War Thunder CDK which allows users to make their own content in the form of missions, locations, and vehicle skins. If any of these creations are selected by Gaijin for inclusion in the game's 1.43 update, the authors "will receive reasonable reward." You can read a more detailed FAQ on the initiative at the game's official website. We've also embedded a video dev diary with more details after the break. Elsewhere in the War Thunder universe, Gaijin is running a "Summertime Madness" promotion this weekend that features bonus RP gains and 30 percent vehicle discounts. Continue reading Now you can get paid for making War Thunder content Now you can get paid for making War Thunder content originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Aug 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Revenue sharing

Darkfall adds siege engines, ladders, higher walls, and more Posted: 08 Aug 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, PvP, News Items, Sandbox Yesterday's Darkfall patch began the process of adding siege engine functionality to the world of Agon. Players can now use catapults with massive boulders and fiery projectiles, and Aventurine has also added siege ladders for scaling enemy walls. New Engineering Mastery crafting recipes are available, too, as are new resources and reinforced clan city walls. [Thanks Jane!] Darkfall adds siege engines, ladders, higher walls, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Aug 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Siege engine patch

The Daily Grind: What's the best MMO housing system of all time? Posted: 08 Aug 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous, Housing WildStar's floating palaces, Star Wars: The Old Republic's strongholds, World of Warcraft's garrisons, and Landmark's... well, everything... are getting a lot of press lately, maybe because the MMO industry has been starved for such content for so long. Few games implement housing after launch, and fewer still launch with housing ready to go; those that do seldom aspire to the heights reached by RIFT's dimensions, let alone the amazing customizable homes of older games like Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies. So let's resurrect a Daily Grind topic we haven't tackled since 2010. Which MMO features or featured the best housing of all time? 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 best MMO housing system of all time? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Aug 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Landmark: Guilds are a go! Posted: 07 Aug 2014 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Guilds, Patches, Free-to-Play, Sandbox, Landmark It's a very special day for Landmark's community, as after a brief delay yesterday and today, SOE has finally activated guilds in the game. The new system interface allows for guild creation, news, roster, and administration options. The studio says that it deliberately kept the UI simple for this first draft and that it will be refining and adding onto the guild system in the future. Today's patch wasn't just about guilds, however. The team added in glass voxels, ice materials, multi-screenshot functionality for claims, dozens of new party-themed props, and PlanetSide 2 outfit tints. The patch also increased the claim upkeep advance payment to 15 days and synced up friends lists with Steam friends. Landmark: Guilds are a go! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Patch notes, Guilds are here

The Think Tank: Predicting the launch of Warlords of Draenor Posted: 07 Aug 2014 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Business Models, Launches, MMO Industry, Opinion, Subscription We teased Blizzard on Monday for announcing an announcement date for the release date for World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor, but the truth is, even MMO players who don't play WoW are a little curious about when the expansion will release and how it might impact other MMOs we all play. That release date is what the Massively team is talking about today; we're issuing our predictions for launch date. Join us in the comments! Continue reading The Think Tank: Predicting the launch of Warlords of Draenor The Think Tank: Predicting the launch of Warlords of Draenor originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Albion Online offers a new gameplay trailer Posted: 07 Aug 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, Sandbox Excited about Albion Online? Ambivalent about Albion Online? Never heard of Albion Online before this very moment whilst being extremely tired of this narrative device? Whichever category describes you, you can click on past the break to get a look at a new trailer for the game, showing just what players can expect once they load up the game. Albion Online boasts a variety of features including a player-driven economy, freeform progression, a lack of levels, and abilities defined by your choice of equipment. You can see some of it in action in the trailer; you can also support the game now to purchase alpha access and watch as the game moves through development. It's a cross-platform game designed for Windows, Macs, Android, Linux, and iOS devices. Continue reading Albion Online offers a new gameplay trailer Albion Online offers a new gameplay trailer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

Das Tal jumps to Steam Greenlight Posted: 07 Aug 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, PvP, Sandbox It's a big week for the PvP sandbox Das Tal, as the title has hopped on board the good ship Steam Greenlight in the hope that it will gain more attention and support from the community. Das Tal has also finished up its first round of alpha tests in July, with more to come every Sunday in August. The team pieced together a video from the alpha to show off some of the title's looks and combat sequences. The devs stress that many of the graphics are using placeholder images, but if you can stomach that, you can get an early peek at the game after the jump. Continue reading Das Tal jumps to Steam Greenlight Das Tal jumps to Steam Greenlight originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Steam Greenlight

RIFT addresses player auction house concerns Posted: 07 Aug 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Economy, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, RIFT RIFT brought some major changes to its live servers yesterday, but one change wasn't mentioned in the patch notes and produced more than a little player irritation. Along with all of the other auction house changes, helpfully compiled by RIFTJunkies, the transaction cost was changed from a flat fee to a 5% scaling tax. That's kind of a big change if you're used to only having a minor hit whether the auction sells or not. According to the development team, this change will not be reversed, but modifications will be made to help make the shift feel less punishing to players. The goal is to both recover some money from the economy and cut down on unnecessary auctions for trivial sums. Players can expect to see a hotfix next week to make the taxes both lower and dependent upon the length of the auction; read the full auction house breakdown for more details as well as an in-depth look at the other changes. RIFT addresses player auction house concerns originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: RIFTJunkies

Previewing Neverwinter's Tyranny of Dragons module Posted: 07 Aug 2014 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter I'll give credit to the Neverwinter team for being straightforward and direct about its next module, Tyranny of Dragons: When the devs say "dragons," they aren't skimping on the premise whatsoever. Module 4 is dragons by the bucketful, shaping the tone and story of Neverwinter's present and future development. Earlier today, I sat down with Cryptic Art Director Matt Highison, who showed off Tyranny of Dragons' new content while talking about how dragons are just so, so cool. With other MMOs that I won't name creating expansions that are lacking in new races and classes, Neverwinter is bringing one of each to this update as well as a wealth of content for the players to explore. From randomized dungeons to the controversial pricing of the scaly Dragonborn, we hashed out the details behind August 14th's content release. Let's dive in! Continue reading Previewing Neverwinter's Tyranny of Dragons module Previewing Neverwinter's Tyranny of Dragons module originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Firefall launches its referral program Posted: 07 Aug 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, News Items, Free-to-Play, Promotions, Firefall Are you playing and enjoying Firefall? That's great, but if your friends aren't, the game might be just a little bit more lonely. You could abduct your friends and chain them in front of a computer with the game already loaded, but that seems a bit extreme, not to mention really illegal. Maybe you'd be better off just taking advantage of the game's referral program to drag your companions into the game. That's legal, and it offers some nice benefits. If you refer someone who creates an account, you get night vision goggles, as pictured above. Score one for you! Meanwhile, if said friend goes on to purchase some Red Bean, you both get 10 extra Red Beans. So if you have friends who aren't yet playing, send a mail and see if you can't get them to sign up after all. It's cheaper than buying chains and secondary computers, too. Firefall launches its referral program originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Referral Program

Build an inn or trading post in World of Warcraft's Spires of Arak zone Posted: 07 Aug 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Betas, Fantasy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, PvE, Subscription Are you a fan of the arakkoa, World of Warcraft's avian humanoids? Blizzard Game Designer Don Adams and Associate Quest Designer Johnny Cash are betting you are, which is why they've brought back the sqwawking Burning Crusade beasties in Warlords of Draenor, complete with a "fancy new model." In a dev blog posted today, the duo discuss the Spires of Arak zone, in which the arakkoa aren't quite as evil as they later become in the BC timeline. Over the course of the zone, you're helping [a] shady resistance group of cursed arakkoa to make their final stand. You're learning about the curse they bear, the ancient gods of their land, and the very real threat posed by the Adherents of Rukhmar, the ruling caste of zealous arakkoa in Skyreach. Your adventure leads to two climactic events in the zone: one involving the plight of the outcasts against the flying arakkoa, and another focusing on the Shattered Hand fortress of Bladefist Hold. Of interest is Cash's note that players can choose to "construct an Inn to help [them] house more soldiers and supplies or a Trading Post to establish trade agreements with friendly locals," thereby unlocking unique questlines and gaining access to special perks in the zone, like quicker hearthing and easier access to rested experience. Build an inn or trading post in World of Warcraft's Spires of Arak zone originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dev blog

Star Trek Online officially announces Delta Rising expansion Posted: 07 Aug 2014 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, Expansions, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play While we heard word of Star Trek Online's second expansion out of the recent Star Trek Las Vegas convention, today Cryptic has made it official. Star Trek Online: Delta Rising is on its way to the game, bringing with it exploration into the Delta Quadrant. The expansion will raise the level cap to 60, allow for captain specializations, and add new technology and new starships. Some of the Star Trek: Voyager cast will reprise their roles for the game, starting with Garrett Wang. "In Delta Rising, enterprising captains are sent to explore the Delta Quadrant, joining forces with and opposing the efforts of well-known species seen on Star Trek: Voyager, such as the Talaxians and Kazon, as well as lesser known species," Cryptic posted. "A lot has changed in these sectors in the 30 years since Kathryn Janeway captained the Voyager through this region of space. With a portal recently discovered within the Dyson sphere providing a quick path to the quadrant, many vessels are being sent to explore the region." You can watch the official STLV announcement video after the break! Continue reading Star Trek Online officially announces Delta Rising expansion Star Trek Online officially announces Delta Rising expansion originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcing Delta Rising

Games of Glory gets additional funds, cancels Kickstarter Posted: 07 Aug 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, MOBA, Crowdfunding Games of Glory, the sci-fi MOBA with persistent world designs, has canceled its Kickstarter campaign. Don't fret, though, because Lightbulb Crew has secured additional funding from existing investors, according to today's press blurb. You can vote for the title on Steam Greenlight and view the full announcement after the break. [Source: Lightbulb Crew press release] Continue reading Games of Glory gets additional funds, cancels Kickstarter Games of Glory gets additional funds, cancels Kickstarter originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Norrathian Notebook: How to improve your Landmark building skills Posted: 07 Aug 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game Mechanics, Free-to-Play, Guides, Sandbox, Player-Generated Content, Norrathian Notebook, Landmark What goes through your mind when you come across show-stopping Landmark builds? Do you just admire them, or do they also pierce your confidence and remind you of your own less-than-phenomenal skills? Some folks see another player's masterpiece and are inspired. while others get discouraged. Don't let it discourage you! Previously, I offered a few hints on how to avoid discouragement; remember, it's perfectly natural and OK to not have uber building skills. Besides that, you don't even have to build because when all is said and done (and released), there will be game enough for everyone, regardless of construction prowess. But what if you really want to improve your skills? In that case, the first thing you need to do to restore hope in your skills is to stop comparing your abilities to others. Trust me, there will always be someone who can create circles (literally) around you in Landmark. Instead, focus on what you can do and on improving from there. If you really desire to make some specific awesome creation that you can see in your mind's eye but can't it make work in voxels, take the time to hone your skills. You may never join the upper echelons of the truly constructionally gifted, but that doesn't mean you can't make something great that you can be proud of! This guide will help point you in the direction of polishing and practicing those voxel manipulation skills. Continue reading Norrathian Notebook: How to improve your Landmark building skills Norrathian Notebook: How to improve your Landmark building skills originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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