| Tamriel Infinium: My love/hate relationship with Elder Scrolls Online Posted: 01 Aug 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Crafting, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription, Tamriel Infinium Quakecon was certainly interesting, wasn't it? Whether you're looking forward to new zones, the veteran system's extreme makeover, active world PvP via the thieving system, or combat upgrades, Elder Scrolls Online acquitted itself pretty well at this year's ZeniMax Media shindig. The reveals even led to positive ESO comment vibes here on Massively, which added some much-needed love to the love/hate relationship that everyone seems to have with this particular MMO. I've got my own twisted take on said dynamic, so join me after the cut to celebrate the good and ask for more of it. Continue reading Tamriel Infinium: My love/hate relationship with Elder Scrolls Online  Tamriel Infinium: My love/hate relationship with Elder Scrolls Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Destiny's level cap is sorta 20, but not really Posted: 01 Aug 2014 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Classes, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, PvE, Destiny, Buy-to-Play Destiny may not be an MMO in the eyes of many, but it sounds like Bungie designers have got the genre's endgame gear treadmill mechanics down pat. Eurogamer reports that while the level cap is technically 20, you'll convert post-20 XP into something called Motes of Light which can then be used to make special armor. Said armor will give you a stat boost that is necessary for some of Destiny's endgame raids. Continue reading Destiny's level cap is sorta 20, but not really Destiny's level cap is sorta 20, but not really originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| RIFT's 2.8 update coming August 6 Posted: 01 Aug 2014 08:00 AM PDT |
| Obsidian explains Skyforge's class-swapping system Posted: 01 Aug 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Classes, Game Mechanics, Lore, Previews, News Items, Dev Diaries, MMORPG, Skyforge Obsidian and My.com are back today with another new Skyforge dev diary, this one a lengthy explanation of the game's class system. Skyforge allows class-swapping that will remind players a bit of RIFT: You'll pick a base class and then unlock intermediate and advanced classes as you play, swapping your current played class along the way. Check out the team's full explanation! Skyforge: Classes Many people have made the observation that the Skyforge class system is non-traditional and unique for an MMORPG. Our decision to design our class system this way was influenced by changes we see in gamers. In recent years we've seen a change in the way people play games, specifically, with the new found popularity of MOBA games. They have fast become the most popular online games and are consistently beating records for participation in various tournaments. Continue reading Obsidian explains Skyforge's class-swapping system Obsidian explains Skyforge's class-swapping system originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: Does world PvP have to be spontaneous to be fun? Posted: 01 Aug 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind I love big battleground PvP. I admit it. I may have cut my teeth in the FFA ganker land of classic Ultima Online, but I didn't enjoy it nearly so much as I enjoy two (or three!) huge swarms of people crashing into each other Pelennor Fields style. That's why World of Warcraft's attempt to recreate world PvP in upcoming expansion zone Ashran intrigues me. Yet Massively commenters have criticized Blizzard, suggesting that it's impossible to bottle up the fun of old Southshore and pour it back out into Ashran because Southshore's magic was in its spontaneity. At least that was the fun if you weren't on a server where your faction just got rolled repeatedly. Or if you weren't a newbie trying to quest in Southshore while the level 60s farmed each other for points. It didn't feel all that spontaneous on my server, come to think of it, since both sides would line up outside the village automatically every day; the vast majority of spontaneous PvP I see on my PvP server is just ganking lowbies or soloers, not the epic GvG sort you tell stories about later. And I'm pretty sure I'd trade the cheap thrill of spontaneity for a fair fight with some real objectives, the bigger the better. How about you? Must world PvP be spontaneous to be fun?  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: Does world PvP have to be spontaneous to be fun? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Chaos Heroes Online MOBA arrives this fall Posted: 31 Jul 2014 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, MOBA It's safe to say that there are a lot of MOBAs on the market at the moment. Do you want another one? Because Chaos Heroes Online looks as if it's set to be just that. If you've found yourself saying that you've got only a limited number of MOBAs to play and really need another one on the pile, this game will completely satisfy you by virtue of being a MOBA and being released this fall. Chaos Heroes Online is based on a variant of the original genre-defining Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft III, and its main claim to fame is offering players the ability to gear up from anywhere on the map rather than requiring anyone to return to base. Beyond that, it offers... well, you can probably guess what it offers if you're familiar with other MOBAs. Because that's what it is. Purely. You can check out the trailer past the cut if you have a mighty need for another MOBA. [Source: Aeria Games press release] Continue reading Chaos Heroes Online MOBA arrives this fall Chaos Heroes Online MOBA arrives this fall originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Think Tank: Building an MMO without levels Posted: 31 Jul 2014 06:00 PM PDT |
| The Stream Team: A final farewell to Vanguard as it sunsets Posted: 31 Jul 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Vanguard, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage), Livestream, The Stream Team, Sunsets It's finally here: The end of the world. And that world is Vanguard's Telon. Tonight the game sunsets, and Massively's MJ will be there to wish it a fond farewell while celebrating all that's unique about it. She'll be sharing different Vanguard memories and inviting you to do the same. On top of that, there will be an end-of-the-world party that sails from continent to continent, ending at Ahgram with the biggest barge party. Join us live at 7:00 p.m. for the two-hour final farewell. Game: Vanguard Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Thursday, July 31st, 2014 Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: A final farewell to Vanguard as it sunsets The Stream Team: A final farewell to Vanguard as it sunsets originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Project Gorgon seeks Kickstarter funding Posted: 31 Jul 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News Items, Crowdfunding Is your Kickstarter fund depleted yet? Designer Eric Heimburg is hoping that you've got a bit more money left in there for his small-scale game, Project Gorgon. A long post on the game's official site outlines several major updates to the game's systems as well as what the Kickstarter funding will be used for, with an eye toward an official launch date in fall/winter of 2015. Heimburg's post explains the current state of the game's testing, including what is working and what is not in the current build. He also explains why some skills level faster than others; Necromancy, for example, requires you to fight a boss, while Swords can be advanced from the start of the game. Take a look at the site if it seems like your sort of game and consider funding it if you like what you see; Heimburg states that while he'd like to bring on additional staff, he won't allow extra funding to change the launch date. Project Gorgon seeks Kickstarter funding originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Snail's King of Wushu MOBA gets a new trailer Posted: 31 Jul 2014 03:00 PM PDT |
| Ultima Forever will sunset August 29th Posted: 31 Jul 2014 02:45 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Miscellaneous, Sunsets Ultima Forever is unfortunately not so forever after all: EA/ Mythic has just announced that its Ultima-flavored mobile MMO will be shutting down on August 29th. Forever. Strangers, Seekers and Avatars all,
While the past year has certainly been quite the adventure - in Britannia and beyond! - that adventure is now drawing to a close, as the time has come for us to say goodbye. As of Aug 29th 2014 (11:00 AM EDT), Ultima Forever will be shutting down its online services, and will no longer be available to play.
This was a very difficult decision for us to make. We've seen the game through ups and downs, and hope that you've enjoyed playing it every bit as much as we had making it! Through it all, it's been players like you who've made it all worthwhile. The team says that during this final month of operation, it will boost rewards and drops, halt equipment decay, and cease selling premium currency. Ultima Forever will sunset August 29th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WildStar's Sabotage update is now live Posted: 31 Jul 2014 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, News Items, WildStar, Subscription PvP fans who were miffed at the PvE focus of WildStar's first major content update, Strain, will be mollified by today's release, Sabotage, which is now live. It introduces a new level 30+ 15v15 battleground called Daggerstone Pass and adds new achievements and decorative housing items -- because nothing says PvP like new housing items. PvE gamers needn't worry, however; Carbine says "the next drop is for you!" Massively's WildStar expert Eliot Lefebvre previewed Daggerstone Pass and the rest of the patch earlier this month. WildStar's Sabotage update is now live originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Square offers 14-day Final Fantasy XIV trial Posted: 31 Jul 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, News Items, Final Fantasy XIV, Subscription Square is looking to spread the gospel of Final Fantasy XIV via a newly announced 14-day free trial. The fantasy MMORPG normally features a client fee and a monthly subscription, but you can get a taste of what Eorzea has to offer by downloading the trial software and giving it a whirl. There are a few restrictions to be aware of including a level 20 cap, a currency cap of 20,000 gil, and the inability to join guilds, trade, or use the market. A full list of terms is available on the official Square support website. Square offers 14-day Final Fantasy XIV trial originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Path of Exile announces Forsaken Masters, its second major update Posted: 31 Jul 2014 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Path of Exile You aren't the best around in Path of Exile. To be the best, you need someone even better to teach you. You need a master. Maybe even a lost master, which is the premise of the game's second major update, Forsaken Masters. This update will give players seven different eponymous masters to train under, each of whom will make different requests of players and offer different lessons as players improve their reputation. That's not all the update will offer when it goes live, though. Players will be able to craft their own customized hideouts upon reaching enough reputation with a given Master, allowing them to craft their own little town. There are also new items, revamped passive skills, rebalances of existing content, and new challenge leagues to enjoy. Players will be able to start taking on these new adventures when the update drops on August 20th. Then you can start really being the best around. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!] Path of Exile announces Forsaken Masters, its second major update originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| ArcheAge's second closed beta event is live right now Posted: 31 Jul 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events (In-Game), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, ArcheAge, Sandbox ArcheAge's second closed beta phase is officially underway! This time around, you can play through 1:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, August 4th. If you played CBE1, you don't need to download the client all over again, but you will need to update your build to 4.3 via the 161 MB patch. You may also be pleased to note that all of your CBE1 progress will carry over, including your crop timers and taxes. Trion says that CBE2 is expected to be "three times the size of the first." ArcheAge's second closed beta event is live right now originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Age of Wushu expansion Warrior's Ascension releases today Posted: 31 Jul 2014 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Sandbox, Age of Wushu Snail has released Warrior's Ascension, the "summer expansion" for its Age of Wushu martial arts MMO. The update includes a beta of the Sky Ladder, which is a new PvP tournament system wherein players will fight random opponents "who match their level." Warrior's Ascension also enables players to acquire new level six gear upon completion of the "Before the Final Battle" chapter that has been added to the Age of Wushu records. [Source: Snail Games press release] Continue reading Age of Wushu expansion Warrior's Ascension releases today Age of Wushu expansion Warrior's Ascension releases today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Vindictus previews upcoming hero Arisha Posted: 31 Jul 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Vindictus Bad news first: if you're a stateside player of Vindictus, you don't know when you're going to be able to start playing with Arisha, as she's not releasing in Korea until August 7th. You can, however, take a look at her trailer just past the break to get a sense for the character and how she fights, so that's something, at least. In play, Arisha looks to be a fast-moving character using a single blade and magic to teleport, freeze time, and otherwise tear through her opponents. Also, by the looks of it, she's got a pet dog. Take a gander at the trailer if you're interested in seeing more about the character, although you will have to wait for a while yet to play her yourself. Continue reading Vindictus previews upcoming hero Arisha Vindictus previews upcoming hero Arisha originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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