MMO Updates

---

• Pitchblack releases Prime Battle for Dominus trailer
• Tell me a fairy tale: ClapAlong launches Warriors Saga
• EVE offering bonuses to new players [Updated]
• New Perpetuum patch introduces Sparks, Extension Downgrading
• New video showcases EverQuest II: Age of Discovery's mercenary system
• TERA's Korean version influenced by Western feedback
• Blizzard apologizes for anti-gay slurs at BlizzCon
• New RIFT video is dressing up for Halloween
• The Daily Grind: Do you support your favorite MMO by staying subbed, even if you don't play anymore?
• Wurm Online answers your Epic questions
• Richard Garriott running Portalarium with robots
• MMO Report: Ah crap it's BlizzCon again edition
• DC Universe Online to go free-to-play on November 1st
• PlanetSide 2 reveals two new Terran Republic screenshots
• This Week in MMO: Do you like pandas edition
• The Guild Counsel: Guild horror stories
• En Masse releases new TERA Halloween video
• Captain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing
• Ask Massively: The first one hundred words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary edition
• Rumor: GamersFirst lays off 32 staffers, CFO [Updated]
• Rusty Hearts introduces the gunslinging Natasha
• Behind the Mask: The choice of team support
• Wakfu unveils release date trailer
• Prime World shows the glory -- and defeat -- of combat
• Lord of the Rings Online adding mount emotes
• Star Supremacy hands out treats to beta testers
• EVE dev blog unveils new Gallente battlecruiser
• Otherland dev video talks design and going off the rails
• Layoffs hit NCsoft's North American offices

Pitchblack releases Prime Battle for Dominus trailer Posted: 28 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items Gentlemen (and ladies), start your three-faction PvP engines! Pitchblack Games has released its first official teaser trailer for Prime: Battle for Dominus, and it's a heart-pounding race through some of the game's open world environments. The clip runs a smidge under a minute and a half, and features a good look at combat, character models, and more. In addition to the aforementioned factional trinity, Prime also boasts 18 classes, an extensive economy with player-created items and item decay, and a futuristic sci-fi setting. We've got the full trailer for you after the cut, or you can watch it courtesy of MMORPG.com. Continue reading Pitchblack releases Prime Battle for Dominus trailer Pitchblack releases Prime Battle for Dominus trailer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: MMORPG.com

Tell me a fairy tale: ClapAlong launches Warriors Saga Posted: 28 Oct 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, Free-to-play, Browser Keeping your eye out for a neat Asian-themed MMO? ClapAlong has a new prospect for you: Warriors Saga. Inspired by Eastern fairy tales, Warriors Saga immerses the player in Asian folklore by placing an emphasis on interactive storytelling. The free-to-play browser MMO boasts a wide variety of gameplay features, including pet training, "polymorphic transformation," real-time combat, and an automatic quest navigation system. GPS for MMOs? May be! Warriors Saga launched its first server, Asgard, yesterday, and is hosting several events to celebrate the release. Players participating in the first week will enjoy a double XP bonus, gift vouchers if they purchase gold, and free gold if they share word of the game to their friends on Facebook. Tell me a fairy tale: ClapAlong launches Warriors Saga originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE offering bonuses to new players [Updated] Posted: 28 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, MMO industry, News items, Promotions, Sandbox There's no better time to take the plunge with EVE Online, as CCP is offering up a new promotion designed to ease the newbie transition into the harsh realm of New Eden. According to a news blurb on the official EVE website, new accounts will receive free cerebral accelerator implants. These doohickeys "are military-grade implants that significantly increase a new pilot's skill development [...] Capsuleer training renders it ineffective after a while; as such, it will cease to function for pilots who have been registered for more than 35 days," according to the website. Pilots will also receive a rare frigate (an Apotheosis) if they can manage to invite a friend via EVE's buddy program and convince said friend to upgrade to a paid account. [Update]: CCP has also announced that its Power of 2 special offer is back (through November 28th). Existing players can create an alt account and get 180 days of free game time or three PLEX, for $49.95. Additionally, your character on the new account will receive a cerebral accelerator. EVE offering bonuses to new players [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: New pilot offer

New Perpetuum patch introduces Sparks, Extension Downgrading Posted: 28 Oct 2011 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, News items, Perpetuum, Sandbox A new patch just hit Perpetuum, and it brings Sparks and Extension Downgrading along with it. No idea what either of those things are? Don't worry, that's why we're here. Sparks are nanobots in the Perpetuum universe, which are able to grant small but permanent bonuses to a player's bot. A number of these Sparks are already available in-game and can be unlocked either by paying a one-time NIC fee, or by reaching "a certain level of relation with a corporation." Sparks will also be available for Energy Credit when the system goes live later on down the road. Extension Downgrading is exactly what it sounds like. It allows players to downgrade the level of their mechs' extensions in order to receive a full EP and NIC refund. The feature is largely intended for new players who aren't sure how to build their bots, so it will only be available to players for 30 days after the creation of their first character. However, since it's a new system, current players will be able to use the feature for 30 days after the feature goes live. For the full details on the patch, boost yourself over to the official Perpetuum site. New Perpetuum patch introduces Sparks, Extension Downgrading originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Perpetuum: A Shower of Sparks

New video showcases EverQuest II: Age of Discovery's mercenary system Posted: 28 Oct 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, EverQuest II, Expansions, Game mechanics, News items, Free-to-play In the new promotional trailer for EverQuest II's Age of Discovery expansion, poor Gnoob the gnaked gnome just can't win. Maybe if he was smart enough to spell his name properly, he might not get mauled by the same wolf over and over. After learning that maybe a naked Gnome isn't quite suited to square off against a hungry wolf, Gnoob takes it upon himself to hire an Ogre mercenary (though you'd think if he could afford a mercenary, he could afford some clothes), but even that doesn't go quite right. It just goes to show you that the mercenary system, coming to EverQuest II with Age of Discovery, should be used with discretion. For the full video, follow on past the cut. Continue reading New video showcases EverQuest II: Age of Discovery's mercenary system New video showcases EverQuest II: Age of Discovery's mercenary system originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

TERA's Korean version influenced by Western feedback Posted: 28 Oct 2011 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Patches, Previews, TERA While we're still impatiently drumming our fingers waiting for TERA to release in the West, it turns out that our feedback is causing real change in the game's live Korean edition. According to a forum post by Producer Chris Hager, Bluehole Studio has taken several suggestions passed along by En Masse and is incorporating it into the live version of the game. Hager says that this is "just a taste" of how the two developers are interacting and collaborating. On November 24th, the next big Korean update will hit the servers, and with it the implemented suggestions from En Masse's fans. This update will include a dungeon finder system, rest XP, group XP bonuses, modified PvP rules, a guild battle system, and "more skill diversity through new master Glyphs." Oh, and there will be the ability to sit, because roleplayers would be lost otherwise. "This is a very exciting time for us as we are starting to see what true collaboration looks like," Hager writes, "and it also shows that you guys do carry a voice with us. The best part is that there is more to come." TERA's Korean version influenced by Western feedback originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: TERA forums

Blizzard apologizes for anti-gay slurs at BlizzCon Posted: 28 Oct 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Culture, Events, real-world During BlizzCon last week, the lead singer of Cannibal Corpse, affectionately known as George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, was shown in a video explaining just how much he hates Alliance players in World of Warcraft. Although the video was censored and edited from its original version for the live crowd, the video is notorious for being filled with anti-gay slurs used to describe his hatred of the Alliance. Taking quick action to apologize for the lapse in judgment, Blizzard's president, Mike Morhaime, issued a written statement to GayGamer.net taking personal responsibility for airing the video, which you can read in its entirety after the cut. Continue reading Blizzard apologizes for anti-gay slurs at BlizzCon Blizzard apologizes for anti-gay slurs at BlizzCon originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: GayGamer.net

New RIFT video is dressing up for Halloween Posted: 28 Oct 2011 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, News items, Humor, RIFT It's always a bit of a scary time in RIFT's setting of Telara. After all, it's rough to think that at any moment the sky could tear open right next to your favorite restaurant and turn it into a shrieking pit of death. So you can imagine that things get even jumpier around this time of year, what with everyone seeing death around every corner and undead in every shadow. What's a resident of Telara to do? Well, fortunately, there are Ascended running around to keep the world safe on a day-to-day basis. But as the video just past the break shows, when you're facing something a bit more frightening than the average day, you need to call on a more formidable set of allies. Check on past the cut to see RIFT's holiday spectacular in all its glory, a reminder that even in these times of darkness, there are knights around every corner. [Source: Trion Worlds press release] Continue reading New RIFT video is dressing up for Halloween New RIFT video is dressing up for Halloween originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Do you support your favorite MMO by staying subbed, even if you don't play anymore? Posted: 28 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous With so many MMOs to choose from these days, it's not uncommon for players to switch between games when a new one catches their eyes. With subscription-based games, you always have to make sure you cancel that sub if you're moving on to another game. This, of course, is one of the strongest arguments in favor of free-to-play games. But that's not what this Daily Grind topic is about! Today, we want to know whether you've ever stayed subbed to a game, even when you've stopped playing for a few months. Usually this happens accidentally when we forget to cancel the sub, but sometimes we just want to help support the development team with a few extra dollars. Have you ever kept your sub going while not playing, and why? 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 support your favorite MMO by staying subbed, even if you don't play anymore? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wurm Online answers your Epic questions Posted: 27 Oct 2011 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Wurm Online, News items, Free-to-play Are you a Wurm Online player looking for a sense of purpose? Well, look no further than the game's Epic servers, which went live today. Not sure what Wurm Epic is? Well, you're in luck once more because over at the game's official site, Code Club CEO Rolf Jansson has posted an FAQ that covers everything you need to know about the new game type. The basic concept is this: Players both new and old can take a portal from the main game world to the Epic servers. From there, they will be stripped of all their items and skills, though they will retain all gold in their banks. After that, it's the duty of the players to build and defend kingdoms, which in turn further the goals of their gods on the moon of Valrei. Gods, in turn, have the ability to "reshape the world or spawn creature invasions as a result of how well they achieve their goals." For the full, detailed FAQ, head on over to the game's official site. Wurm Online answers your Epic questions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Wurm Online Epic FAQ

Richard Garriott running Portalarium with robots Posted: 27 Oct 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous Have you ever wished that instead of having to go to your job, you could just turn on the computer, log in to an avatar in the same manner as an MMO, and take care of everything that way? Perhaps to the surprise of no one, Richard Garriott has begun doing precisely that at his company, Portalarium. Rather than commuting between New York and the studio in Austin, Garriott has a small robotic avatar to allow him a face-to-video-monitor presence in Austin even when he's away. The robot itself is a $15,000 Anybot QB from the eponymous company Anybots, Inc, which Garriott claims was originally purchased so that his mother could virtually attend his wedding in France. He also stresses that it's not a means of keeping tabs on employees, merely a way to bridge the gap between two very distant locations. And really, if you had just won millions of dollars in a lawsuit, wouldn't you be attending all events via robot? Richard Garriott running Portalarium with robots originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Gamepro

MMO Report: Ah crap it's BlizzCon again edition Posted: 27 Oct 2011 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Classes, Culture, Events, real-world, Expansions, Interviews, Previews, Races, The MMO Report "Ah crap, it's BlizzCon again?" asks Casey Schreiner in this week's MMO Report. 'Fraid so! At the Anaheim con, Casey interviewed World of Warcraft Lead Producer J. Allen Brack about the Mists of Pandaria expansion, covering the neutral Pandaren race, the Monk class, the talent system overhaul, pet combat, world bosses, battlegrounds, challenge mode, retro dungeons, and beer. He also found time to chat with a few fans, cut in line, sniff markers, wade into a loot elemental money machine, polish off some voiceovers for Jaina and Thrall, and play with WoW-themed LEGOs. I mean, MEGA Bloks. Casey's takeaway? "We all learned something very valuable here: that internet rumors can sometimes be true. So thanks for ruining Christmas, The Internet!" Enjoy the MMO Report just past the cut. Continue reading MMO Report: Ah crap it's BlizzCon again edition MMO Report: Ah crap it's BlizzCon again edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: The MMO Report

DC Universe Online to go free-to-play on November 1st Posted: 27 Oct 2011 06:10 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Business models, News items, Free-to-play, Consoles, DC Universe Online It was promised and now it's come true. Yesterday, we were promised that today would see the revelation of the date for DC Universe Online's business model switch, but now we're here, and all the tortured chronological phrasing doesn't change the fact of the matter. On Tuesday, November 1st, the game will be launching its hybrid business model, according to the live webcast taking place at the time of this announcement. As reported previously, the game will be moving into a tiered model, allowing players to access the game with no subscription requirement. Current subscribers who continue to maintain the monthly fee will gain access to a variety of perks, starting (obviously) on November 1st, but if you've always been curious about the game, get ready to jump in and dress up the day after Halloween. Expect further details to be available from Sony Online Entertainment in the near future. DC Universe Online to go free-to-play on November 1st originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Live webcast

PlanetSide 2 reveals two new Terran Republic screenshots Posted: 27 Oct 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Screenshots, Previews, News items, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2 Yesterday, Sony Online Entertainment released some new information on PlanetSide 2's Terran Republic. The faction gets even more love today with a pair of new screenshots featuring the good ol' black 'n' red. Show your loyalty to the Republic by heading on over to PlanetSide Universe to check out the new screens. PlanetSide 2 reveals two new Terran Republic screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: PlanetSide Universe

This Week in MMO: Do you like pandas edition Posted: 27 Oct 2011 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Video, EVE Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Culture, MMO industry, News items, Opinion, Final Fantasy XIV Gamebreaker.TV has put the finishing touches on episode 67 of This Week in MMO, and you get two guesses as to the primary topic. OK, it's not all about pandas, panda-induced fanboi raging, and much-publicized expansion packs. Host Gary Gannon brings together ZAM's Mike B and Beckett Massive Online Gamer's Jason Winter for a lengthy jaunt through the week's MMO news, and the trio has a lot of ground to cover besides Mists of Pandaria. Final Fantasy XIV's return to the realm of the subscription fee generates some discussion, as does CCP's downsizing spree. Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium's far-future release date gets a mention, and did Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online forums get hacked? Head to Gamebreaker to see what the guys think. Continue reading This Week in MMO: Do you like pandas edition This Week in MMO: Do you like pandas edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Gamebreaker.TV

The Guild Counsel: Guild horror stories Posted: 27 Oct 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous Ah, fall! Crisp cool air, gorgeous foliage, and enough horror and frights to leave you looking like someone who's just seen Samara from The Ring. Halloween is chock full of scares and horror stories, and guilds are no different. Whether you've led a guild or been part of one, chances are you've witnessed your fair share of terrifying tales. In this week's Guild Counsel, I'll share a few of mine, and I welcome you to add yours below. So gather round the campfire, pass the marshmallows, and bundle up in that sleeping bag because it's time to share our guild horror stories. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Guild horror stories The Guild Counsel: Guild horror stories originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

En Masse releases new TERA Halloween video Posted: 27 Oct 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA Gamers, prepare to be TERA-fied (and not just of bad marketing puns like that one). En Masse has just released a new Halloween video hyping its long-in-the-making TERA MMORPG, and the clip features some of the creepier characters from the fantasy title's eclectic cast. The video is called The Old Witch, and it's a riff on the famous fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm (and comes complete with a storybook-style presentation). Click past the cut for the chilling tale of an adventurous lass lost in the woods and the nefarious witch who harbors her own dark designs. Continue reading En Masse releases new TERA Halloween video En Masse releases new TERA Halloween video originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing Posted: 27 Oct 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Patches, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log Captain's Log, Stardate 65322.9... Hello, computer (and players)! For the past several weeks, Star Trek Online players have been checking out the latest F2P beta builds on the Tribble test server. While there have been a few patches on other days, more for stability fixes and minor tweaking, Thursdays seem to be the designated day for us to receive the largest pushes of new content. The latest round of updates has brought further economy changes, new events and ships, and even more heated debates. Since we seem to be a ways out from the seeing the updates ported to the Holodeck live server, there is still plenty of time to check it all out and provide your feedback to the devs. I would like to dedicate this entry to those who are helping test the changes. This week's Captain's Log serves as a checklist of sorts on what new content you can test and where you can provide feedback about it. As you read through, I suggest that you read a particular section, jump into game to check out the particular change, formulate an opinion, and head to the linked forum where you can leave your feedback. No matter what you think, it's important to let the devs know -- they will make changes based upon a collective opinion. Ensign, warp 10! It's time to create our own party rock anthem... Continue reading Captain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing Captain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ask Massively: The first one hundred words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary edition Posted: 27 Oct 2011 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Game mechanics, Opinion, Humor, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous A, aah, aardvark, aardwolf, Aaron, aaronic, ab, aba, abaca, aback, abacterial, abacus, abaft, abalone, abandon, abandoned, abase, abash, abate, abatement, abatis, abattoir, abaxial, abbacy, Abbasid, abbatial, abbe, abbess, Abbevillian, abbey, abbot, abbreviate, abbreviation, Abdias, abdictate, abdomen, abducens, abducent, abduct, abduction, abeam, abecedarian, abed, Abel, abelian, abelmosk, Abderdeen, aberrant, aberrated, aberration, abet, abeyance, abeyant, abhor, abhorrence, abhorrent, Abib, abidance, abide, abiding, abigail, ability, abinito, abiogenesis, abiogenic, abiological, abiotic, abject, abjection, abjuration, abjure, ablate, ablation, ablative, ablaut, ablaze, able, abloom, abluted, ablution, ably, Abnaki, abnegate, abnegation, abnormal, abnormality, abo, aboard, abode, aboil, abolish, abolition, abolitionism, abomasum, abominable, abominate, abomination, aboral, aboriginal, aborigine. When you're done drenching yourself in glue in celebration, it's time for this week's edition of Ask Massively, in which we discuss walking in ships and stations. If you'd like to have a question answered in a future edition of the column, leave it in the comments or mail it to ask@massively.com. Continue reading Ask Massively: The first one hundred words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary edition Ask Massively: The first one hundred words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rumor: GamersFirst lays off 32 staffers, CFO [Updated] Posted: 27 Oct 2011 03:15 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, All Points Bulletin, Crime, Rumors, Post-Apocalyptic, Miscellaneous If the rumors are true, today has not been the best of days for MMO industry staffers. Hot on the heels of our NCsoft layoff story comes distressing news for fans of GamersFirst, as we've just received an anonymous tip concerning the apparent dismissal of 32 people from the firm's west coast office. According to our tipster, "Most of the APB team was let go. A lot of the support staff was let go. The development team was not, to my knowledge, so the game is still being developed in Scotland." We've also been told that GamersFirst's CFO was let go. We've reached out to G1 for clarification on this story, and as of press time there is no official word on the staffing decisions or how the shake-up will affect Fallen Earth and the rest of the company's free-to-play lineup. [Updated: Reader alacritythief let us know that GamersFirst's Revoemnag and TechMech have responded to the layoffs in regard to APB's future. Their comments are just behind the break.] Continue reading Rumor: GamersFirst lays off 32 staffers, CFO [Updated] Rumor: GamersFirst lays off 32 staffers, CFO [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rusty Hearts introduces the gunslinging Natasha Posted: 27 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Classes, News items, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries Perfect World Entertainment has announced the newest addition to the Rusty Hearts cast, and her name is Natasha. This scantily clad, gun-toting heroine joins the Rusty Hearts roster in hopes of avenging the death of her brother. She's capable of dual-wielding pistols or blowing her enemies away with muskets, making her the perfect character for the player who just wants to make things go boom. For more information on the game's newest playable character, jump past the cut for a dev diary video or head on over to the Rusty Hearts official site. Continue reading Rusty Hearts introduces the gunslinging Natasha Rusty Hearts introduces the gunslinging Natasha originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Rusty Hearts: Natasha's Live!

Behind the Mask: The choice of team support Posted: 27 Oct 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, Champions Online, Behind the Mask Last week's Behind the Mask covered Champions Online's super team support solo monster, the Mind, but I thought it would be prudent to cover the other ways a player can support a team. Some of this will tread existing ground, as I've already talked about the Mind and Grimoire archetypes in previous editions, and both have one of the four team support options. I'll be covering the Mind's passive in more detail, taking a brief look again at the Grimoire's passive as well as covering the other two options, Seraphim and Medical Nanites. While we don't have a Celestial archetype just yet, it is only a matter of time before Cryptic adds one, so this will give a bit of a preview for what a Celestial healer plays like. Continue reading Behind the Mask: The choice of team support Behind the Mask: The choice of team support originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wakfu unveils release date trailer Posted: 27 Oct 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Launches, News items Wakfu, Ankama Games' upcoming tactical MMORPG, has been in beta for quite some time now, and people were beginning to wonder if it would ever get a release date. Well, wonder no more. Ankama has released a rather stylish trailer in order to announce the game's prospective launch window. You can find the trailer after the cut, but just in case you're terribly impatient, the game is slated to release in February, 2012. Now what are you waiting for? Go watch the trailer. It's adorable. Continue reading Wakfu unveils release date trailer Wakfu unveils release date trailer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Youtube: Wakfu Exclusive Release Date Trailer

Prime World shows the glory -- and defeat -- of combat Posted: 27 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, PvP, Free-to-play For DOTA and League of Legends fans out there, Nival's Prime World shares a competitive spirit that's worth keeping an eye on as it goes through development. The Facebook-integrated game encourages players to build up their castles, band together to fight mobs, and face off against each other in battles of supreme strategy and bloodsplosions. Nival has released a new set of screenshots today showing off Prime World's combat in action. The studio is proud of the rich colorset and visuals it's created for the game, and the team is hoping that they will appeal to those interested in good-looking PvP. You can check out all of the action-packed screenies in the gallery below! Gallery: Prime World Prime World shows the glory -- and defeat -- of combat originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lord of the Rings Online adding mount emotes Posted: 27 Oct 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Previews, Free-to-play, Giveaways Emotes: They're not just for Elves, Hobbits, Dwarves, and Men any longer. Naaay, Turbine is preparing to give emote love in Lord of the Rings Online to player mounts as well. Players' horses and goats will soon be able to rear up, kick, and bow with the best of them. While the emotes are not yet available in the game, CM Sapience announced on the forums that players have a chance to win one for free through the LotRO lottos: All weekend long we'll be running lotteries for the brand new, unreleased, Mounted Rear Up emote. That's right, Mount Emotes are coming to the LotRO Store! Enter the lotteries this weekend and you could win it for free, before your friends can buy it. You'll have a few weeks to show it off and brag before it hits the LotRO Store. Check back often as new lotteries will be starting randomly throughout the weekend and on Halloween! The LotRO lottery system is available on the my.lotro website. Lord of the Rings Online adding mount emotes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: LotRO forums Via: A Casual Stroll to Mordor

Star Supremacy hands out treats to beta testers Posted: 27 Oct 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Patches, Free-to-play, Browser As Star Supremacy continues its star trek through beta and toward release, Barbily Games has a few treats (but not tricks) in store for testers. After gathering feedback and bug reports from players in the beta, the dev team has whipped up a few hefty updates that should improve the game end-to-end. These updates include an improved UI, a chat system, alliances, item trading, and a tutorial. And even though the team is mired in beta craziness, there's always time for a little Halloween fun. The Star Supremacy devs have issued a challenge to players to find hidden GM bases. Those that do will be rewarded with special in-game items, such as pumpkin helmets and longevity tokens. Finally, Barbily is giving away gaming headsets to a few lucky fans that have "liked" the game's Facebook page. The drawing will happen when the page reaches 30,000 likes. Star Supremacy will be heading into open beta on November 15th. [Source: Barbily Games press release] Star Supremacy hands out treats to beta testers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE dev blog unveils new Gallente battlecruiser Posted: 27 Oct 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox Another day, another piece of good news for EVE Online. Are we sensing a trend here? At any rate, the latest CCP dev blog reveals the Gallente Talos, the newest New Eden internet spaceship that will find its way into the hands of capsuleers everywhere when EVE's winter expansion finally hits. If the Talos looks strangely familiar, that's probably because you saw it during EVE's Create a Starship contest last spring. Like its recently revealed Minmatar counterpart, the Talos is a battlecruiser, and CCP describes it as an "in your face glass cannon." Warp to the official EVE website for some more pics and the full dev blog. EVE dev blog unveils new Gallente battlecruiser originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EVE dev blog

Otherland dev video talks design and going off the rails Posted: 27 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Otherland What's happening in the world of Otherland? How about a new making-of video, for starters. RealU and gamigo, the developer and publisher responsible for bringing Tad Williams' sci-fi novels into the MMORPG realm, are offering up a new five-minute clip that takes fans behind the scenes for a brief look at the development process inside the game's Singapore studio. The clip is full of quick glimpses of devs at work as well as a few talking head soundbytes. In terms of how the game plays, the most revealing quote comes from lead designer Nic Cusworth. "What we've been trying to do is bring those skills from a console game background into an MMO and give players something that's a little bit more immediate, more fast-paced to play. But at the same time, it has the scope and range of an MMO," he says. How will that scope and range manifest itself in the finished game? That's still speculation at this point, but the devs seem united in their desire to highlight Otherland's openness and its willingness to deviate from MMO norms. "We all like online games, but I find it quite frustrating how people's conceptions and ideas are so railed," says art director Holger Liebnitz. Check out the full clip after the cut. Continue reading Otherland dev video talks design and going off the rails Otherland dev video talks design and going off the rails originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

Layoffs hit NCsoft's North American offices Posted: 27 Oct 2011 10:45 AM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous Earlier this morning Massively received an anonymous tip that NCsoft terminated an undisclosed number of employees at its Austin, Brighton, and Seattle offices earlier this month. According to our tipster, "many operations jobs are leaving Austin and being contracted back to Seoul," and there were further layoffs in the quality assurance and billing departments, with "with many more put on 60-day notice." We contacted NCsoft for an official comment and received the following reply: "In an effort to put a greater focus on the success of the Western-developed games from NCsoft, and the long-term services MMOs require, we announced a global restructuring to our Western publishing team. To optimize the streamlining efforts, limited functionality is moving to our headquarters in Seoul, and some publishing support has been reduced. As a result, there has been a reduction in force that has impacted less than 2 percent of our global workforce. We remain committed to fully support the development of games from ArenaNet, Carbine Studios and Paragon Studios." We'll keep you up to date on the situation as it develops and as we learn more. Layoffs hit NCsoft's North American offices originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

You are subscribed to email updates from Massively To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610