| The Summoner's Guidebook: Reckless risk-taking in League of Legends Posted: 09 Jan 2014 09:00 AM PST Filed under: PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook Most people who play League of Legends tend to take really silly, ridiculous risks. If you've read the Summoner's Guidebook for any length of time, you know that I always recommend playing your cards close to your chest and avoiding uneccessary risk-taking. However, being extremely cautious is not the best idea in the long-term. I'm not suggesting that taking risks all the time is good, but I do advise taking at least one or two stupid gambles every game. Calculated risk-taking is important to victory. You can't be timid and let the enemy walk all over you, but you also can't be mindless. It's important to know the difference. Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Reckless risk-taking in League of Legends  The Summoner's Guidebook: Reckless risk-taking in League of Legends originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jan 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| MMORTS Kingdom Under Fire 2 picks a platform, will release this summer Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, MMORTS If Kingdom Under Fire 2 sounds vaguely familiar but you just can't quite place it, that could be because the MMORTS was announced six years ago this month then went underground, popping its head up only a couple times in 2010 and resurfacing once in 2013. And over the coarse of those years, the game switched platforms, from the Xbox 360 to the PlayStation 3. Now, Kingdom Under Fire 2 has returned, and it will launch this summer on the PlayStation 4 (which will feature content exclusive to the platform) and the PC after a period of open beta testing. MMORTS Kingdom Under Fire 2 picks a platform, will release this summer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jan 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Field Journal: Seeking instant gratification in RIFT Posted: 09 Jan 2014 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, RIFT, MMORPG, Field Journal I've always been pretty open about my feelings on RIFT: I have an immense admiration for the mechanical ideas and the sheer effort Trion makes, but the world-building and aesthetic choices put me to sleep. The game firmly belongs in the category of those games I wish I liked but don't. While I played the game's first 20-something levels (not to mention trying out several alts into their teens) early in its existence, it just could not hold me. Further attempts, such as during free weekends, in the unlimited free trial, and after the conversion to free-to-play, uniformly resulted in my milling about for a couple of hours before getting bored and uninstalling yet again. Maybe if I ignored the world entirely and focused purely on constant activity, I could get into it. Fortunately, RIFT's Instant Adventure system offers just what I need to test that theory. Continue reading Field Journal: Seeking instant gratification in RIFT Field Journal: Seeking instant gratification in RIFT originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jan 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| The Think Tank: Name your MMO dev dream team Posted: 09 Jan 2014 06:00 AM PST Filed under: MMO Industry, Opinion, Miscellaneous, The Think Tank While playing our favorite MMOs, we rarely sit down to think about the people who poured their blood, sweat, and tears into granting us these gaming experiences. Well, at least until we come across something we don't like. Then the blame game begins. But the truth is, it usually takes a large team to assemble a proper MMO, and no one or two people should be held accountable. Well, unless you're literally making an MMO entirely by yourself. So I asked the Massively team members whom they would have on their MMO dream team. Would they pick out talented individuals or talented groups of designers? Check out the complete list just after the jump. Continue reading The Think Tank: Name your MMO dev dream team The Think Tank: Name your MMO dev dream team originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jan 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| The Daily Grind: Do you get annoyed when game devs communicate via Reddit? Posted: 09 Jan 2014 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, The Daily Grind I loathe Reddit. I won't go into the hows and whys because that's better saved for a Soapbox, but suffice it to say that I roll my eyes when game companies including SOE, ArenaNet, and countless others take to the service to communicate with their fanbases instead of using their own forums or Twitter accounts. I understand why they do it -- salesmen always need to speak to a larger audience, of course -- but it still rankles. What about you, Massively readers? Am I alone here or do you also get annoyed having to go through a third-party community to learn about your game of choice?  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: Do you get annoyed when game devs communicate via Reddit? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jan 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Stream Team: SWTOR raid night is here again Posted: 08 Jan 2014 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Endgame, PvE, Free-to-Play, Massively Meta, Hands-On, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Livestream, The Stream Team, MMORPG The holidays have ended, and work can begin anew. Massively's Larry Everett and his team of raiders seek to begin progression again by diving deep into the Dread Fortress and Dread Palace. Join them at 9:00 p.m. EST as they take on some of the toughest hard-mode operations Star Wars: The Old Republic has to offer. Game: Star Wars: The Old Republic Host: Larry Everett Date: Wednesday, January 8th, 2014 Time: 9:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading Stream Team: SWTOR raid night is here again Stream Team: SWTOR raid night is here again originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jan 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| One of Pathfinder's 'core philosophies' is socialization Posted: 08 Jan 2014 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox, Pathfinder Online The first Pathfinder dev blog of 2014 concerns itself with points of interest and outposts. In a broader sense, GoblinWorks uses the piece to speak about one of the primary design objectives for its fantasy sandbox. That objective is socialization. Or, as GoblinWorks says, "one of our core philosophies is to maximize meaningful human interaction." A major example of said philosophy is the firm's plan to create "a hierarchy of social structures so that many people have a chance to try their hand at leadership and management." This hierarchy starts with outposts, which are the "heart of the in-game economy" and connected to the aforemention POIs. Click through the links below to learn more! One of Pathfinder's 'core philosophies' is socialization originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jan 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Perfect World's Arc application now available Posted: 08 Jan 2014 04:30 PM PST |
| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: 2013 in review for superheroes Posted: 08 Jan 2014 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, MMO Industry, News Items, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes, Consoles, Champions Online, DC Universe Online, A Mild-Mannered Reporter 2013 was the first year in which City of Heroes didn't exist. The masses of hero fans cried out in anticipation of a new game but found nothing. All there was to be found was a deafening silence and three other games that scratched similar itches but didn't quite manage to hit the same heights. But we've talked about that as much as it can be discussed, and quite frankly I'm more interested in the now. We've got three titles that are still duking it out, trying to find their voices, and so forth. And then we have the header of Plan Z, which covers several different projects but at the same time serves as an interesting look at the community as a whole. So in the wake of a quiet December, let's look back at 2013 for the major titles and for the hopefuls. It was a year in which quite a bit happened, not all of it good, but it was still one that might have a big impact on the future of the superhero MMO field. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: 2013 in review for superheroes A Mild-Mannered Reporter: 2013 in review for superheroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jan 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| ArenaNet hints at next GW2 update with meatspace metronome Posted: 08 Jan 2014 03:30 PM PST |
| War of Omens CCG strives to cross Kickstarter finish line Posted: 08 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, New Titles, Trading Card Games, Crowdfunding War of Omens, a deck-building CCG by Fifth Column Games, is making an attempt to meet its Kickstarter funding goal by January 13th. The game is set in a dark fantasy world and has three factions to which you can pledge loyalty and undying devotion. The devs describe War of Omens a hybrid between deck-building games like Dominion and traditional collectible card games like Magic: The Gathering. Players will purchase cards during play that will then be shuffled into their inventory for future rotation. There are also resources to collect and use during the course of a match. Fifth Column is asking for $30,000 in funding to finish the title. As added incentive to donate, all those who chip in $10 or more will be given an early access beta key. You can get a look at how a battle works after the break. [Thanks to Mike for the tip!] Continue reading War of Omens CCG strives to cross Kickstarter finish line War of Omens CCG strives to cross Kickstarter finish line originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jan 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Free for All: The confused state of Firefall's first few hours Posted: 08 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Screenshots, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Casual, MMOFPS, Humor, Free for All, Post-Apocalyptic, Sandbox, Firefall As part of my research for an upcoming article about MMO shooters, I have been playing a lot of Firefall. There are definitely worse assignments in the world. I really, really enjoy the game; I love the fact that I can do almost anything I want even within a short play session and feel as if I accomplished something. Of course, the current enlightened state I am in does not reflect the game's non-newbie-friendly designs. As a matter of fact, the only place I was able to turn for reliable explanations and non-stop answers was a reader of Massively who recognized my name in the chat. This reader and I have played together several times, and he went out of his way to answer all of the newbie questions that should have been answered by the game. I know that the developers have said ( through Tweets to me and in other places) that a better newbie experience is on its way. There are also friendly little helper robots sprinkled throughout the game and a handful of helpful videos that can be found as well. So why are so many new players still confused about Firefall? Continue reading Free for All: The confused state of Firefall's first few hours Free for All: The confused state of Firefall's first few hours originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jan 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| RuneScape expands player-owned ports Posted: 08 Jan 2014 01:00 PM PST |
| Pathfinder Online CEO defends Elder Scrolls Online's subs Posted: 08 Jan 2014 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Business Models, Free-to-Play, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription, Pathfinder Online The Elder Scrolls Online's subscription-only business model has had an unlikely ally step up to defend it: Goblinworks CEO Ryan Dancey. The Pathfinder Online head chief claimed that subscriptions were still responsible for upward of an estimated $100 million a month in revenues in the Western market with a much smaller amount being gained by cash shops. "It's even harder to estimate how much revenue is being generated from microtransactions but it is extremely difficult to imagine that the revenue even approaches 50% of the amount being paid as subscription fees," he wrote. Dancey also commented that initial box sales will be incredibly important for ZeniMax: "This may be the internal justification ZeniMax is using to benchmark its budget for Elder Scrolls Online. Skyrim, the most recent single-player entry in the Elder Scrolls franchise, is reported to have sold approximately seven million units, which we can impute translates to something like $210 million in revenue. If the MMORPG can carry that kind of weight, its budget becomes suddenly very rational." Incidentally, Dancey said that Pathfinder Online will launch with a subscription-only model as well, although he predicts that will change over time. Pathfinder Online CEO defends Elder Scrolls Online's subs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jan 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| MMO Family: Forbes' three essential parenting tips on video games Posted: 08 Jan 2014 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Kids, MMO Family, Family, Miscellaneous As video games continue to grow in popularity each year, there is a correlating increase in the number of studies and advice columns offering insight into how parents should tackle the many parenting issues that go with it. Sadly, far too many of the "experts" who offer advice have little or no real experience playing video games, and their advice is shaped by an overall negative view of video games. But as Forbes blogger Jordan Shapiro points out in his article 3 Things Parents Should Know About Video Games and Kids, video games and the internet are here to stay. And it's unrealistic to look at the issues of raising a child in the age of technology strictly in black and white terms. Shapiro offers up the three pieces of advice that are great starting points for parents, and we'll take a look at them in this week's MMO Family. Continue reading MMO Family: Forbes' three essential parenting tips on video games MMO Family: Forbes' three essential parenting tips on video games originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jan 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
Established audio manufacturer steps into the world of gaming
An in-depth look at Razer's modular PC concept
PCs win, plain and simple
AMD puts its game face on
Demoing the newest Oculus Rift prototype with positional tracking
Fans, fans, and more fans (and a fanless power supply)
