MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Rise and Shiny: Knight Age

Posted: 09 Sep 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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Knight Age screenshot
Knight Age is an adorable new Anime MMO brought to us by Joymax. I want to emphasize the word adorable because the game is perfectly designed to illicit a reaction that is something along the lines of "Awww, look how cute that is! My head is explo.." and it really does have that effect. In fact I love the graphics of Knight Age so much that I would give anything to see an MMO developed that looks like Knight Age yet has the hardcore ruleset of, say, a Wurm Online or Darkfall. Yes, I am entirely serious. Strange how many players tend to think that "serious" or "hardcore" titles need serious or machine-taxing graphics. That's simply not true; just ask a World of Warcraft raider.

The point is that the graphics of Knight Age are one of my favorite things in the entire universe. The characters are chunky and solid, the animations are smooth, and the game runs like butter. Does this mean I do not like more realistic graphics? No, it means that I like all sorts of graphics and all sorts of gameplay. It's possible for a writer to enjoy different things. I know, crazy huh?

But what does Knight Age offer other than amazingly awww-rific graphics? Some interesting gameplay, that's what, and a soft grind. Allow me to explain.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Knight Age

MassivelyRise and Shiny: Knight Age originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Previously on MV TV: The week of September 1st

    Posted: 09 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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    Previously On MV TV banner
    This week I have quite the selection of tasty video tidbits for you to enjoy. What better way to spend the weekend than staying inside away from the nasty pollen and wasps, watching amazing gameplay videos hosted by yours truly and his band of fellow pixel-heads? That's right! You don't even have to buy MMOs anymore! By simply clicking on the "continue reading" link below, you step into an expansive world of MMO exploration, teeming with sights and sounds unlike you have ever seen or installed before! Why should you go through the trouble of standing in line, purchasing a box, spending two days installing it on your massive PC, pulling up that huge plastic chair, waiting for the game to patch, and attempting to make a character who doesn't look like a 17 year-old pop-punk band member only to find that you suck at PvP?

    The simple answer to your problem is to watch us play ALL OF THE GAMES! Which games, you might ask? Well, this week I have some Piggy action as he streams Fallen Earth, followed by Richie with some Guild Wars 2, Mike with some more EVE Online, World of Tanks and Tribes: Ascend. And I follow it all up with a trip through Wurm Online to view the mystery behind the Puzzles deed and then chat with Illyriad CEO James Niesewand about his game's new patch! Check it out!

    Continue reading Previously on MV TV: The week of September 1st

    MassivelyPreviously on MV TV: The week of September 1st originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Fans show spectacular support for City of Heroes

      Posted: 09 Sep 2012 07:00 AM PDT

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      You may take our game, but you will never take our WILL TO COLLECTIVE ACTIOOOOON
      Years and years of acting out a super-human ideal in-game have apparently worn off on the players of City of Heroes. Faced with the news that their beloved game is due to sunset before the end of the year, CoH fans have been putting on a tremendous show of support for the game and Paragon Studios. Saturday saw a massive rally on the in-game steps of City Hall in Atlas Park as players gathered to show their support and love for Paragon Studios and its employees. The support campaign continues, however: Intrepid CoH fans have organized a call to action to bombard NCsoft with capes and masks through the mail.

      Fans are also rising up to share their feelings via letters to Taek Jin Kim, NCsoft's CEO, which has caught the attention of fantasy writer and CoH guest author Mercedes Lackey. In response to the original call to letter-writing action, Lackey said said she was extending an offer to NCsoft to endorse, uncompensated, any and all NCsoft products if the company can only find a way for CoH to live on.

      Skip below the cut for a short clip showing a composite of the 3,000-odd heroes spread across 32 instances of Atlas Park on the Virtue server, or hit up the official boards for some screenshots from the unity rally.

      Continue reading Fans show spectacular support for City of Heroes

      MassivelyFans show spectacular support for City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: What does it take for you to go back to a game you enjoyed?

      Posted: 09 Sep 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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      You WILL go back to playing.  You WILL enjoy it.  You WILL learn to play the accordian.
      I'd been on a bit of a break from City of Heroes when the announcement came that it was shutting down. And I'm not alone; some of my friends had also been taking a break, but when it came to light that the game's days were numbered, they came back in a hurry. Everyone wants a chance to remember the best parts of the game before there's no part of the game left to remember, after all.

      But it doesn't just take a shutdown notice to revitalize your interest. Sometimes you might just be taking a few months off before you go back to a game, sometimes you're waiting for a content patch, sometimes there's an annoying system you want patched into oblivion, and sometimes it would take nothing less than a full reworking of the design team's philosophy to bring you back to a game. So what does it take for you to go back to a game you enjoyed but left?

      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: What does it take for you to go back to a game you enjoyed? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Building a Diablo III Wizard to solo Inferno difficulty

        Posted: 08 Sep 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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        Diablo III title image
        With patch 1.04's new paragon level system, there's been a definite increase in the number of people getting back to playing Diablo III. Every class was buffed in the patch, and only a small handful of skills and items were nerfed, leaving everyone to pore over the skill windows and come up with new builds. Barbarians definitely made it out of the patch in the best shape, with huge buffs to Bash and Rend, buffs to two-handed weapons, and a whole host of new legendary weapons to aim for. Wizards, on the other hand, weren't so lucky.

        For all the buffs described in the 1.04 wizard preview devblog, not much has really changed. The Energy Twister nerf backfired hilariously, and all of the underpowered spells and runes that were buffed are still pretty useless. Energy Armor is still a mandatory skill, most Wizards are still running Critical Mass builds, and the new legendaries aimed at Wizards don't seem to make any sense from an itemisation standpoint. So how should you build a solo Wizard in 1.04?

        In this guide, I detail three highly effective Wizard builds and give tips on gearing for each of them following patch 1.04.

        Continue reading Building a Diablo III Wizard to solo Inferno difficulty

        MassivelyBuilding a Diablo III Wizard to solo Inferno difficulty originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Tattered Notebook: Why Player Studio is actually a return to EQ's roots

          Posted: 08 Sep 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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          The Tattered Notebook  Why Player Studio is actually a return to EQ's roots
          Talk about a busy week for the EverQuest franchise! In a one-two punch, SOE announced new expansions for EverQuest and EverQuest II and unveiled Player Studio, a new tool that will allow players to create and sell their own items on the marketplace. I went from "what shall I write about this week" to "where do I begin?!"

          The expansions deserve attention in their own right, plus they're still a ways off from being released, so in this week's column, I'd like to look at Player Studio with an eye on EQ's past. In the history of the franchise, user-generated content has been around for a long time, as has open-ended gameplay. Both seem to be making a return to EQ and EQII, and I'll say it's long overdue.

          Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Why Player Studio is actually a return to EQ's roots

          MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Why Player Studio is actually a return to EQ's roots originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Ironfell MMORTS releases gameplay trailer

            Posted: 08 Sep 2012 01:00 PM PDT

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            Ironfell  Gameplay Trailer Released
            Good news, everybody! Ironfell is in open beta, which means you can hop in-game right now and get a feel for it! What's that, you say? You don't know about Ironfell? Well, luckily for you, there's a new gameplay trailer out to introduce you to the game!

            Ironfell is a 2-D, hex-based MMORTS. Its developer, David Colquhoun, touts Ironfell as "an indie MMORTS with an unfair approach to balance," saying that you can "gather stockpiles of resources to gain an unfair advantage over your enemies" and bring that advantage to bear in a massive and persistent world. Right now, the game has about 50 units and buildings, with plans for tremendous expansion -- eventually players will be able to create time machines and elevators to help them explore beyond the world. The game is free-to-play, and Colquhoun promises "to make every game item and resource available in the game without payment," although he's not sure what the game's exact business model will look like at this point.

            Skip below the cut for the new gameplay video.

            [Source: DataSmugglers press release]

            Continue reading Ironfell MMORTS releases gameplay trailer

            MassivelyIronfell MMORTS releases gameplay trailer originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              The Mog Log: Getting up to speed on Final Fantasy XIV as it is

              Posted: 08 Sep 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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              The Mog Log header by A. Fienemann
              If you're just joining us after a rousing session of Final Fantasy XIV, this column may not exactly be for you because this week isn't about speculation; it's about discussing the many things that people don't like about Final Fantasy XIV which either no longer exist or are known to be removed in version 2.0.

              This might seem like it's kind of silly, but honestly, I think there's a lot of stuff that people not actively following FFXIV don't know about. The game's biggest burst of visibility happened when it launched, just like every other game in the history of anything ever. While the game isn't for everyone now any more than it was a year ago, the development staff has taken pains to address gaps in the structure and improve the play experience for everyone.

              So here's an article about just that. And while you might already know the content of the article, the next time you know someone worried about something in the game that's long since been excised, you can point him back here.

              Continue reading The Mog Log: Getting up to speed on Final Fantasy XIV as it is

              MassivelyThe Mog Log: Getting up to speed on Final Fantasy XIV as it is originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

                Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


                Building a Diablo III Wizard to solo Inferno difficulty

                Posted: 09 Sep 2012 06:03 AM PDT

                With patch 1.04′s new paragon level system, there’s been a definite increase in the number of people getting back to playing Diablo III. Every class was buffed in the patch, and only a small handful of skills and items were … Continue reading

                The Tattered Notebook: Why Player Studio is actually a return to EQ’s roots

                Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:59 AM PDT

                Talk about a busy week for the EverQuest franchise! In a one-two punch, SOE announced new expansions for EverQuest and EverQuest II and unveiled Player Studio, a new tool that will allow players to create and sell their own items … Continue reading

                Ironfell MMORTS releases gameplay trailer

                Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:57 AM PDT

                Good news, everybody! Ironfell is in open beta, which means you can hop in-game right now and get a feel for it! What’s that, you say? You don’t know about Ironfell? Well, luckily for you, there’s a new gameplay trailer … Continue reading

                The Mog Log: Getting up to speed on Final Fantasy XIV as it is

                Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:56 AM PDT

                If you’re just joining us after a rousing session of Final Fantasy XIV, this column may not exactly be for you because this week isn’t about speculation; it’s about discussing the many things that people don’t like about Final Fantasy … Continue reading

                The Road to Mordor: Three things LotRO needs from Guild Wars 2 (and vice versa)

                Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:54 AM PDT

                Whenever a new big MMO releases, it causes a shockwave of predictable conversations and comparisons. I’m not interested in the “winning/losing” or “killing/dying” debate so much as a contemporary meeting of minds to share ideas. MMOs used to develop in … Continue reading

                Should MMOs embrace item decay?

                Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:52 AM PDT

                If you grew up on themeparks like World of Warcraft, the very idea of item decay is probably foreign to you. Just go to the vendor and click the repair button and everything’s just as it was the day you … Continue reading

                SOE Live puts out a call for player-run panels

                Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:49 AM PDT

                Have you ever been sitting and watching a panel at a convention while thinking that you could totally host a panel yourself? Sony Online Entertainment seems inclined to agree with you. That’s why this year’s SOE Live event has halls … Continue reading

                What does it take for you to go back to a game you enjoyed?

                Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:45 AM PDT

                I’d been on a bit of a break from City of Heroes when the announcement came that it was shutting down. And I’m not alone; some of my friends had also been taking a break, but when it came to … Continue reading

                PAX 2012: 20 Craziest Costumes

                Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:38 AM PDT

                There are only a handfull of places you can bump into a laid off Storm Trooper and a dude dressed up in full garb as Princess Peach in the same day. One of those places is the Penny Arcade Expo … Continue reading

                All New Kindle Fire Tablets Ship with 'Special Offers' (Ads); Wall Charger Costs Extra

                Posted: 09 Sep 2012 05:38 AM PDT

                Amazon may have ignited a price war with the introduction of new Kindle Fire models starting at $159, and $199 (and up) for the HD variants. However, the low prices come with a couple of caveats. First and foremost. every … Continue reading


                MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com

                MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com


                Attention Windows Purists: Thinix RetroUI Lets You 'Terminate' Windows 8's New Interface

                Posted: 07 Sep 2012 07:20 PM PDT

                Chief among the many gripes that people have with Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 operating system are: that it includes the tile-based Windows 8 UI (aka "Metro"); that it's the Windows 8 UI, and not the classic desktop, that greets you … Continue reading

                MMO Updates

                MMO Updates


                The Road to Mordor: Three things LotRO needs from Guild Wars 2 (and vice versa)

                Posted: 08 Sep 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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                The Road to Mordor Three things LotRO needs from Guild Wars 2  and viceversa
                Whenever a new big MMO releases, it causes a shockwave of predictable conversations and comparisons. I'm not interested in the "winning/losing" or "killing/dying" debate so much as a contemporary meeting of minds to share ideas. MMOs used to develop in a vacuum, but now they're much more interconnected (for better and worse). The upside for consumers is that proven features often spread to the competition, hopefully improving the whole playing field.

                In our case, it's the impact of Guild Wars 2 on the industry and what it might have to teach Lord of the Rings Online. Yet I don't think it's quite fair (or true) to just look at it from the lens of "Everything GW2 has is better"; it's more productive to theorize how to swap the best of both games in order to improve them.

                So here are three things that LotRO could use to implement from Guild Wars 2 -- and three that Guild Wars 2 could use from LotRO.

                Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Three things LotRO needs from Guild Wars 2 (and vice versa)

                MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Three things LotRO needs from Guild Wars 2 (and vice versa) originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  WRUP: I love sprouts edition

                  Posted: 08 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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                  Aw, yeah.  That's the stuff.
                  When I was a kid, Brussels sprouts were one of those foods that no one is supposed to actually like. I was told that they tasted bitter and nasty and were best avoided except as an implement of torture. Then I finally tasted them and found them to be some of the most wonderful things ever. Seriously, they're my favorite vegetable option in the world. If you're not going to eat those, I will.

                  What does that have to do with this week's installment of WRUP? Absolutely nothing. It never does. WRUP is about what the Massively staff is up to this weekend and whether or not we see MMOs as disposable entertainment. So regardless of whether you like the delicious taste of sprouts, you can check out our plans after the break and let us know what you'll be up to for the next two days in the comments.

                  Continue reading WRUP: I love sprouts edition

                  MassivelyWRUP: I love sprouts edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    The Daily Grind: Should MMOs embrace item decay?

                    Posted: 08 Sep 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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                    GW2
                    If you grew up on themeparks like World of Warcraft, the very idea of item decay is probably foreign to you. Just go to the vendor and click the repair button and everything's just as it was the day you looted it, right? Well, no. In older games and especially in sandboxes, you'd need a player to repair your gear, and sometimes not even that would help. Sometimes the gear was irreparable, meaning that once it ran out of juice, it was gone forever.

                    Decaying items are really not all that different from items with charges that deplete (consider Guild Wars 2's and Glitch's crafting tools), but modern gamers freak out at the idea that they might lose their gear to wear, and I don't blame them since many themeparks turn gear acquisition into a huge grind. But even sandboxes like Ultima Online have hedged their original item decay systems, allowing players to repair many artifacts indefinitely.

                    It might take a fundamental change in game design, but what do you think -- should MMOs bring back item decay?

                    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: Should MMOs embrace item decay? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      SOE Live puts out a call for player-run panels

                      Posted: 07 Sep 2012 07:00 PM PDT

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                      No, making everyone in the room listen to you explain your question for ten minutes during a Q&A session does not count as running a panel.
                      Have you ever been sitting and watching a panel at a convention while thinking that you could totally host a panel yourself? Sony Online Entertainment seems inclined to agree with you. That's why this year's SOE Live event has halls set aside and time blocked off for player-run panels, during which you and your fellow players can get up on the stage and have the attention of your fellow attendees. If you've got something you'd like to present and you want an audience, here's your chance.

                      Submitted panels will be subject to an approval process, as SOE is expecting a lot of interest. Panelists who are approved will be given an all-access pass for free and will be given a refund for any previously purchased pass. There are also a number of restrictions on content and hardware available: There's space for running a PowerPoint presentation, for example, but you'll need to bring your own laptop. If none of that scares you off, get thinking about your topic and see if you can hold the interest of a room as well as you think.

                      MassivelySOE Live puts out a call for player-run panels originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      Betawatch: September 1 - 7, 2012

                      Posted: 07 Sep 2012 06:00 PM PDT

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                      Betawatch - City of Steam
                      Happy Friday, Betawatchers! If you're into not-elves, you're going to love today's roundup.

                      Steampunk fans, furbish up your browsers: City of Steam's closed beta is gearing up (pun intended) for November. Spandex more your thing? Try Marvel Heroes; its closed beta will begin on October 1st. How about sci-fi? End of Nations' third testing event began this morning, Otherland is initiating a second beta weekend, and PlanetSide 2 announced its beta promotions today as well.

                      Finally, we added Xulu Universe last week, and now we've checked it out in person. It's in "sort of an open alpha," so you "sort of" can too.

                      Check out the complete Betawatch list after the cut!

                      Continue reading Betawatch: September 1 - 7, 2012

                      MassivelyBetawatch: September 1 - 7, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        Star Trek Online September Ask Cryptic on future content and cosmetic updates

                        Posted: 07 Sep 2012 05:00 PM PDT

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                        Because nothing says Star Trek like a Tholian watching the sunrise.
                        It's the start of a new month, and that means a new Ask Cryptic for Star Trek Online. Executive Producer Daniel Stahl answers a wide array of player questions for this month, with questions that range from a timeframe on new KDF content (Season 8 at the earliest) to whether or not the game will do something to commemorate series creator Gene Roddenberry (on the table with the 1000 day veteran rewards coming shortly).

                        Stahl also addresses the reason that the game's featured episodes vanished for a while. He explains that the team was too short-handed for a long time to develop multiple systems and updates in parallel. As the base behind Star Trek Online has expanded, the developers have moved toward having a more robust and multi-tiered development strategy once again. Players interested in the game can find all these answers and more in the full article.

                        MassivelyStar Trek Online September Ask Cryptic on future content and cosmetic updates originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        PAX Prime 2012: Undead Labs' State of Decay

                        Posted: 07 Sep 2012 04:30 PM PDT

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                        Screenshot -- State of Decay
                        Everyone loves zombies, right? Apparently so because they're absolutely everywhere (like Miami, for instance), but we keep on lapping it up. Secretly, though, I think a lot of us are tired of the same old zombie games. After all, if you're one of the truly hardcore that has a zombie apocalypse plan that includes where you'll hole up, how you'll find weapons, what you'll eat, and so forth, it's a little disappointing that most games tend to focus solely on the zombie-shooting part of the zombie apocalypse (not that there's anything wrong with zombie-shooting).

                        Undead Labs' upcoming MMO State of Decay might change all that.

                        The game will take place in a persistent world where players are responsible for rounding up survivors, finding the necessary resources to build defenses and stay alive, and of course, fighting off the zombie hordes. Finally, those of you who have long debated the merits of going to the gun store vs. not going to the gun store in the event of an apocalypse can see whose plan works better. And what's more, at PAX Prime 2012, I got to sit down and play around with it myself, though not for nearly as long as I would have liked. Regardless, if State of Decay is on your radar -- and it should be -- then I'd be glad to tell you all about my 20-odd minutes with the title.

                        Continue reading PAX Prime 2012: Undead Labs' State of Decay

                        MassivelyPAX Prime 2012: Undead Labs' State of Decay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                          MMO Blender: Karen's kid-friendly game with grown-up appeal

                          Posted: 07 Sep 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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                          MMO Blender  A kidfriendly game with grownup appeal
                          I regularly explore the good, bad, and the ugly in kid-friendly MMOs, so I was eager to have a turn with the MMO Blender to see if I could concoct a game that would be appealing for kids but also have some features that should be standard in grown-up MMOs as well. There are a lot of MMOs out there that are aimed at a young audience, but I think the industry sometimes holds back and opts to make a game that's safe. The result of going safe, though, is that it's also not that compelling. Let's take a look at a few features that would make a (nearly) perfect kid-friendly MMO, one that might even be appealing to adults.

                          Continue reading MMO Blender: Karen's kid-friendly game with grown-up appeal

                          MassivelyMMO Blender: Karen's kid-friendly game with grown-up appeal originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                            Free LOVE for all!

                            Posted: 07 Sep 2012 03:30 PM PDT

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                            Free LOVE for all!
                            Eskil Steenberg's solo MMO project is taking the next step of its journey, as LOVE is dropping all costs and going completely free. "After countless iterations, innovations, and experiments I think I have created something special," he wrote on LOVE's website. "LOVE has become a game unlike any other. Now I really think you should play it."

                            Steenberg developed LOVE under his own steam and without funding, and he admits that both the creation of the game and its operation are costing him. To help cover the costs of this now-free title, he's asking fans to consider donations in exchange for a perked-up character.

                            More than anything, he just hopes that players will give his creation a try: "If you take the time and have an open mind, you will find out why this is a labour of love."

                            MassivelyFree LOVE for all! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                            SWTOR expands free-to-play rewards

                            Posted: 07 Sep 2012 03:00 PM PDT

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                            SWTOR expands Cartel Coins rewards
                            With the days until Star Wars: The Old Republic's conversion to free-to-play ticking down, BioWare is rounding out its reward system for current and former players.

                            The studio announced that the players voted for the Party Jawa as a special reward that all current and previous subscribers will receive when the title goes F2P. The Party Jawa is an item that unleashes a fun-loving native of Tatooine who has nothing better to do than bring the festivities to you.

                            BioWare's also expanded its reward chart to include purchasers of SWTOR's digital deluxe edition. Those players will receive 250 cartel coins to spend on rewards this fall.

                            MassivelySWTOR expands free-to-play rewards originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                            DCUO video previews new Legends PvP

                            Posted: 07 Sep 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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                            DCUO video previews new Legends PvP
                            DC Universe Online is getting ready for its fifth DLC pack, Hand of Fate. Along with utility belt attachments, new operations in the open areas of Gotham City and Metropolis, and new side quests, Hand of Fate will be bringing Doctor Fate and Felix Faust to Legends PvP. These inimitable fellows will bring sorcery to the Legends PvP character pool, and change things up with the ability to summon pets and minions. While not quite so offensively aggressive as other characters, these characters focus on a control-based, tactical approach to gameplay.

                            Skip below the cut to get a shiny video introduction to heroic Doctor Fate and nefarious Felix Faust.

                            Continue reading DCUO video previews new Legends PvP

                            MassivelyDCUO video previews new Legends PvP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                            Guild Wars 2 fan site compromised, 11,000 game accounts affected

                            Posted: 07 Sep 2012 01:00 PM PDT

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                            Guild Wars 2 fan site compromised, 11,000 game accounts affected
                            Ars Technica is reporting that 11,000 Guild Wars 2 accounts have been compromised after an attack on an unknown fan site.

                            ArenaNet is emailing account holders who log in from new locations, and the company says that it received 8,500 hacking-related support requests last weekend and another 2,500-plus by Monday. The firm is also dishing out plenty of common sense advice, like "don't use the same email address and password for Guild Wars 2 that you've used for another game or web site."

                            MassivelyGuild Wars 2 fan site compromised, 11,000 game accounts affected originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                            PlanetSide 2's Alpha Squad offering beta access, in-game goods

                            Posted: 07 Sep 2012 12:30 PM PDT

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                            PlanetSide 2 - Vanu ships
                            So PlanetSide 2 is a thing. A pretty large, persistent open-world MMOFPS thing with plenty of interesting places to explore and plenty of interesting players to meet kill.

                            Sony Online Entertainment has put together a pre-launch promotional package called Alpha Squad that will grant you instant beta access, a founder's title, and in-game exclusives (including XP boosts and guns, lots of guns). The pack will set you back $39.99, but it also comes with 4,000 Station Cash to use in SOE's item shop.

                            Your account will be flagged for beta access immediately upon purchase, so if you absolutely can't wait to tour Auraxis, Alpha Squad is your best bet.

                            MassivelyPlanetSide 2's Alpha Squad offering beta access, in-game goods originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                            Storyboard: Only good once

                            Posted: 07 Sep 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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                            Good to the first drop.  And no further drops.
                            Truce Sokolov is a character I like to hold up as an example of how characters can take on lives of their own. She was created as more of a throwaway than anything, a Draenei Shaman whose main character trait was being kind of shy. Flash-forward a year, and she was my main character on the Alliance side of the fence, fleshed out into a strong and capable woman hamstrung by her lack of faith in herself and a resentment of her militaristic environment. She defined a large chunk of my roleplaying in World of Warcraft.

                            So I've tried to port her over to other games. And it has never worked.

                            To date, I've created about a dozen different Truces in different games, and absolutely every one of them has tripped at the starting gate. Or imploded on the launch pad. So as I sift through the wreckage of yet another incarnation of the character, it seems apropos to discuss characters that only work in a single incarnation no matter how hard you try.

                            Continue reading Storyboard: Only good once

                            MassivelyStoryboard: Only good once originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                              Garriott's Portalarium partnering with Zynga for Ultimate Collector

                              Posted: 07 Sep 2012 11:00 AM PDT

                              Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

                              Garriott's Portalarium partnering with Zynga for Ultimate Collector
                              Former Ultima Online guru Richard Garriott is joining forces with Zynga, the social gaming behemoth that has been hemorraging users and executives in recent months.

                              Garriott's Portalarium company will use the Zynga Platform to launch its Ultimate Collector game, which is currently undergoing a limited Facebook beta.

                              "Ultimate Collector is really three games in one," Garriott says via press release. "It's a collecting game where players go on a major hunt for collectibles ranging from toys, gadgets, historical weapons, novelties and famous art and display those collections in their homes. It's a shopping game where players can visit shops and stores in our game, some of them from national retailers, to purchase items and add to their collections. And it's a world building game that allows players to outfit a home, show off their collections to their friends, sell virtual items to other collectors and make in-game money to upgrade their house and grow it even larger."

                              MassivelyGarriott's Portalarium partnering with Zynga for Ultimate Collector originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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