| Norrathian Notebook: Building EverQuest Next in Landmark Posted: 03 Jul 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Contests, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next, Player-Generated Content, Norrathian Notebook, Landmark From the first surprise announcement of Landmark at SOE Live last year, fans have been interested to know how exactly that sandbox would tie into the much anticipated EverQuest Next. In big bold letters on the main site, the devs declare, " EverQuest Next is still in development... and you can help us build it!" So how exactly is that going to come to pass? Through Landmark. Landmark might be a separate game in and of itself, but players can actually build structures there that might one day be gracing the landscape of EQN. At first, we knew only that those structures would be judged and picked through contests. However, with May's racial Round Table vote and the recent implementation of The Workshop, the actual process has begun. And you can get in on it right now! Continue reading Norrathian Notebook: Building EverQuest Next in Landmark  Norrathian Notebook: Building EverQuest Next in Landmark originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jul 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| The Secret World releases new Love & Loathing mission pack Posted: 03 Jul 2014 09:00 AM PDT |
| Take a video tour of SWTOR's Tatooine homestead Posted: 03 Jul 2014 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Housing Yep, it's time for another housing-focused Star Wars: The Old Republic news story. BioWare has released a new video of the Tatooine homestead stronghold and while it's incredibly brief, the clip offers quick glimpses of the sprawling setup as well as a few examples of how you might use its decorating hooks. Dulfy also has a still image breakdown of various shots from the trailer. Click past the cut to have a look! Continue reading Take a video tour of SWTOR's Tatooine homestead Take a video tour of SWTOR's Tatooine homestead originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jul 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| IeSF changes its mind, opens all tournaments to women Posted: 03 Jul 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Legal, Miscellaneous, Hearthstone Following the enormous outcry of gamers angry that International eSports Federation had forbidden women from some of its tournaments, including Hearthstone, the organization decided to open up the playing field to both genders. "Upon hearing these concerns, the IeSF convoked an emergency session of the IeSF Board to respond," the Federation posted on the official site. "As a result, IeSF shall have two event categories: 'Open for All' events and events that are reserved for women. The events which were initially set aside as the male division will now be open to all genders, and the events which were initially set as the female division will remain as they were." The IeSF defended its former rationale for segregating men and women in the event, saying that it did so to encourage female players to engage in the tournaments: "The IeSF's female-only competitions aim to bring more diversity to competitive play by improving the representation of women at these events. Without efforts to improve representation, e-sports can't achieve true gender equality." IeSF changes its mind, opens all tournaments to women originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jul 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| The Daily Grind: What's your favorite ArcheAge class name? Posted: 03 Jul 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, The Daily Grind, ArcheAge, Sandbox Among the many, many things to like about ArcheAge is a class name roster that puts the entire rest of the MMO genre to shame. You think I'm exaggerating? Well, let's start with the fact that the game features 120 class combos, which are essentially builds comprised of three distinct skill trees. If you choose to mix the Occultism, Shadowplay, and Vitalism skill trees, for example, you're a Vulgarist and you get a nice little Vulgarist tag underneath your character name when people mouse over your avatar. If you'd rather dabble in the Songcraft, Archery, and Occultism trees, you're a Gravesinger. Or you could be a Fiendhunter, a Chaotician, a Planeshifter, a Jackknife, or a hundred-odd other kick-ass names! These are just a few of my personal faves, too, so have a look at this list and tell me your favorites.  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 your favorite ArcheAge class name? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jul 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Listen to Guild Wars 2 Season 2's soundtrack now Posted: 02 Jul 2014 07:00 PM PDT |
| Marvel Heroes has great plans for you this Fourth of July weekend Posted: 02 Jul 2014 06:00 PM PDT |
| Transformers Universe launches open beta for the 4th of July Posted: 02 Jul 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), Launches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Transformers Universe, MOBA The Transformers Universe MOBA, whose first beta event kicked off last March, will formally enter open beta this weekend because nothing says Independence Day like battle robots, am I right? The open beta weekend will be marked by a double experience event, a 24-hour livestream starting at 11 a.m. EDT on July 5th, and "$75,000 in prizes to be won." In a press release issued today, Jagex CEO/CTO Mark Gerhard said the game had seen almost two million battle victories during the span of the closed beta. [Source: Jagex press release] Transformers Universe launches open beta for the 4th of July originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| SWTOR stream reveals the secrets of galactic housing Posted: 02 Jul 2014 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Livestream, Housing, Player-Generated Content, MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic has been touting its next expansion, Galactic Strongholds, for months, but the studio hadn't revealed how decorating will work. During the latest livestream, all that changed. Decorators, prepare yourself; it's better than you might think. We've compiled a list of the highlights: - Guilds will have both a capital ship and a headquarters.
- Sitting, lying down, and leaning are not tied to a specific item; they're slash commands.
- Multiple groups of people (up to 70 on the livestream) can visit your stronghold.
- You can place jukeboxes (four were shown) in your stronghold for ambient music.
- Your stronghold can be decorated only by you.
- Guild headquarters and ships can be decorated by different people within the guild.
- You can place your starship (among other large vehicles) on the landing pad.
- There's no rent or maintenance for upkeep.
- Strongholds can be bought with both credits and Cartel Coins.
- Dueling is an uncertain possibility.
- NPCs can be placed in multiple spots around the stronghold.
- The legacy bank is an item.
- Twi'lek NPC table-dancing has been confirmed!
If you have an hour, the whole livestream is available after the break; otherwise, stay tuned next Tuesday for the Hyperspace Beacon's impressions and detailed breakdown of the SWTOR livestream. Continue reading SWTOR stream reveals the secrets of galactic housing SWTOR stream reveals the secrets of galactic housing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2014 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| DDO changes direction, focuses on player feedback Posted: 02 Jul 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Dungeons July's Dungeons & Dragons Online Producer's Letter is the second one from DDO Franchise Director Athena, and in it, she describes the changes coming to the fantasy MMO. While the original road map set in place last December by Rowan has been followed thus far, Turbine is looking to redirect further changes based on player feedback. Update 23 will bring the Epic Orchard of the Macabre, a new Epic raid, new enemies (including werewolves in Eberron), heavy armor improvements, and more. Update 24 will then bring new quests and a new event to round out the end of the year and the holiday festivities. Be sure to read the entire letter in the forums for more details on what's to come. DDO changes direction, focuses on player feedback originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| EverQuest II producer letter outlines summer plans Posted: 02 Jul 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events (In-Game), Previews, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries July and August will be a busy time for EverQuest II, if a recent producer's letter is to be believed. Starting this month, more items have been added to the status point merchants, special summer ethereal weapons have been included, Tinkerfest will return, an Aerakyn legend quest will challenge players, and a new instance called Ages End: The Final Chapter will provoke all kinds of mystery. SOE is also running a sale from July 3rd through the 8th on previous holiday items and other store goodies. Then when we hit August, EQII players will have more loyalty items, a Nexus duo challenge instance, more moonlight enchantments, and status point XP bonus days to enjoy. EverQuest II producer letter outlines summer plans originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Leaderboard: Will you be trying ArcheAge? Posted: 02 Jul 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, Opinion, ArcheAge, Sandbox, Leaderboard ArcheAge's closed beta is coming in a couple of weeks, and if Trion stays on schedule, the long-awaited sandpark's western launch will happen some time prior to year's end. The only real question, then, is will you be playing. There's clearly a lot to like about the game in terms of features, but there's also the specter of open PvP, which has traditionally hamstrung MMO sales and retention figures in the West. So, how about it, Massively readers? Will you be trying ArcheAge despite (or perhaps because of) its PvP?  Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!Continue reading Leaderboard: Will you be trying ArcheAge? Leaderboard: Will you be trying ArcheAge? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| SMITE announces world championships for 2015 Posted: 02 Jul 2014 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Events (Real-World), News Items, Free-to-Play, MOBA Are you the best SMITE player in the world? Are you sure about that? If so, maybe you should go ahead and take part in the SMITE World Championships. The company has just announced that the championship tournament will take place January 9th to 11th, 2015, along with qualifier dates for North America and Europe, all of which can be found just past the break. Players will be competing for a grand prize of $600,000, a pool which is expected to grow over the next half-year in the lead-in to the event. You can check out the official e-sports site for the game to find out how to register your team and try to make it into the big leagues, or just check out the trailer below. Maybe you just like to spectate, after all. It's cool. Continue reading SMITE announces world championships for 2015 SMITE announces world championships for 2015 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| EVE Online's in-game industry to be more challenging come Crius Posted: 02 Jul 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Economy, Dev Diaries, Sandbox The EVE Online team is trying out a new type of blog post today, this one taking time to look at the "bigger picture" of how in-game industry will function with the upcoming Crius release. According to the post, the team wants industry to be understandable by players and both interesting and skillful to use. "You should feel that you are 'good at industry,' rather than just that your character is. You're good at industry because you make good decisions, you outsmart your competitors, you've invested in the right places and you're ahead of the market," the post states. CCP says that it sees the purpose of EVE's industry as a different breed than what goes on in other MMOs, because the player is challenged to do more than just make certain items: "This is the world we're trying to create, the industry that New Eden deserves: one where you're in charge, where you're facing a new challenge every day, and where you have all the freedom in the world to decide how to solve it." EVE Online's in-game industry to be more challenging come Crius originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| Perfect World Entertainment buys Digital Extremes Posted: 02 Jul 2014 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS Perfect World Entertainment is adding another studio to its cap. Digital Extremes Ltd., the studio behind Warframe, is having all of its outstanding shares purchased by PWE in cooperation with Sumpo Food Holdings Limited. This agreement is non-binding and was first announced on June 30th, although nothing has come up since to indicate any sort of a change or reversal. Players have taken to the forums voicing a certain amount of displeasure with the deal, with several comparisons to PWE's acquisition of Cryptic Studios when it was sold by Atari. As it stands, no official statement beyond the business dealings has been made by the studio. [Thanks to Clinton for the tip!] Perfect World Entertainment buys Digital Extremes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| DC Universe Online adding League Halls this summer Posted: 02 Jul 2014 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play, Consoles, DC Universe Online, Housing Just because reruns dominate the TV during the summer doesn't mean that geeks need to submit to rehashed entertainment during these months. Why, DCUO has canceled the annual family road trip to pump out a new DLC that's coming later this summer, just to keep everyone happy. The game's 11th DLC is called Halls of Power Part 1, and it will send player heroes into a new saga looking back at the ancient past in the Fourth World. The DCUO dev team is creating five additional raids, alerts, and operations to go with the update, and players will have six new skill points to earn. However, the crown jewel of Halls of Power Part 1 is the implementation of League Halls, which looks to be DCUO's answer to guild housing. League Halls will be added shortly before the DLC for free to all players. [Source: SOE press release] DC Universe Online adding League Halls this summer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
| SWTOR's housing, decor acquisition explained Posted: 02 Jul 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Crafting, Housing BioWare is revealing more of its Star Wars: The Old Republic Galactic Strongholds content today via a new dev diary. The piece details everything from decorating hooks to the decorations themselves, which will be available as loot drops or from crew skills, reputation/PvP grinds, or the game's cash shop. Unlike previous unlocks, decor is available across your entire Legacy by default. Crafters have some part to play in the process, too, as BioWare says that tradeskillers "of all levels will provide the components required to obtain these decorations." SWTOR's housing, decor acquisition explained originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments |
Steam account required
Lohan takes exception to a character in GTA V that bears her likeness
HTC One (M8) sales helped get the company back in black
There's reason to believe PC demand will pick up in the next several months
Now with a faster processor and more color options
