MMORPG Reviews

MMORPG Reviews


Star Wars The Old Republic Jedi Knight vs Bounty Hunter

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 08:53 AM PDT

Writers and developers of Star Wars The Old Republic face off to debate who would win between two iconic STAR WARS classes: Jedi Knight vs Bounty Hunter. Check it out in the video.

Warfare Update for Steel Legions on November 2

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 07:44 AM PDT

Steel Legions will get a spectacular update titled Warfare with exciting new features and items on 2nd of November. The Warfare expansion brings even more firepower to the fights and intensify the conditions between the empires on the battlefield. One of the most important elements is the dynamics of the game map on which players [...]

Rusty Hearts Awakening content update Win a complete 3D setup

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 04:14 AM PDT

Rusty Hearts‘ first major content update which will be available on October 11, and Perfect World is giving players the chance to win one of two complete 3D setups to play the game in 3D. The $799 3D makeover includes: NVIDIA EVGA GeForce GTX 560 – MSRP: $199.99 NVIDIA 3D Vision Wireless Glasses Kit – [...]

Crux, the third faction of Sword Girls

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 03:21 AM PDT

ChangYou has unveiled the third faction of Sword Girls, its anime-style online card game about swords, sorcery, and schoolgirls. The game's third faction is Crux, famous for two things. The first is their devotion to their faith. The second is the order of Crux Knights, soldiers who protect Crux and humanity from whatever dark creatures [...]


General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Zotac Unveils The Palm-Sized ZBox nano HTPC

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 01:07 PM PDT

Looking to get your movie watching on? Turn to Zotac. The company might not be at HP's level in terms of sales, but when it comes to HTPCs, few companies deliver better small form factor results. The company's ZBox line has been a go-to brand for video streaming enthusiasts, and now, there's a new Zotac ZBox available that ditches Intel and AMD in favor of a VIA processor.

The Zotac ZBOX nano VD01 Series – which Zotac says can fit in the palm of your hand – actually sports two VIA processors: both the 1.2 GHz dual-core Nano X2 U4025 CPU and the VX900H media system processor join this HTPC party. There's also an open DDR3 DIMM slot and space for a hard drive on the basic model; opting for the "Plus" rig fills those with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and a 320GB hard drive. Connectivity options abound, including Wi-Fi, two USB 3.0 slots, 2 USB 2.0 slots, an infrared media remote, outbound HDMI and DisplayPort ports, eSATA, a multicard reader and gigabit Ethernet. About the only thing missing is a digital optical port.

Zotac says the HTPC can "deliver silky-smooth playback of popular high-definition video formats, including Blu-ray, MPEG2, H.264, VC-1 and streaming Internet video." There are pages for each model up on the Zotac website, but both those and the company's press release lacks any pricing or release date information.

Samsung, Micron And Others Form Hybrid Memory Cube Consortium To Promote Faster, Better DRAM

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 12:34 PM PDT

Consortium. No, it's not a sequel to Syndicate, it's what Samsung, Micron Technology and a handful of other companies formed yesterday in order to design and promote specifications for the brand-spankin' new Hybrid Memory Cube memory technology making the rounds. The innovatively named Hybrid Memory Cube Consortium says the technology can one-up traditional DDR3 DRAM in multiple areas – and the consortium wants to see to it that it happens.

HMC uses high-speed logic processes and consists on a logic layer with several DRAM dies stacked atop it to create cube-like stacks of memory that can supposedly deliver "15 times the performance of a DDR3 module" while simultaneously "utilizing 70% less energy per bit than DDR3 DRAM," according to the group's website. Micron teamed up with Intel to create the technology, which was shown off at the Intel Developer Forum last month. Bryan Casper explained why Intel helped out with the process over at the Research@Intel blog.

Interestingly enough, Intel isn't an inaugural member of the Hybrid Memory Cube Consortium; Altera, Open-Silicon Inc. and Xilinx Inc. join Samsung and Micron among the initial companies in the group.

"HMC brings a new level of capability to memory that provides exponential performance and efficiency gains that will redefine the future of memory," Micron VP Robert Fuerle said in the Consortium's press release. "Guidance by the industry consortium will help drive the fastest possible adoption of the technology, resulting in what we believe will be radical improvements to computing systems."

Cool Site of the Week: Minus

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 12:13 PM PDT

minusWhen it comes to cloud storage, consumers have a lot of options to choose from. For many people, Dropbox is their go-to service. Others prefer SkyDrive, Amazon Cloud Drive or Sugarsync. They're all great ways to go, with each one offering it's own particular perks and quirks. While it might be one of the newest kids on the file storage and sharing block, Minus has enough going for it that we felt it worthy of being our Cool Site of the Week.

Offering 10GB of free storage and emphasizing simplicity, Minus is a file sharing and storage system that focuses on ease of use. Thanks to its no nonsense drag and drop interface, uploading files from your PC to your Minus account couldn't be easier. Just grab the file you want, and drop it into Minus. The same trick even works with whole groups of files, which once uploaded to Minus can be viewed as a collection or individually. What's more, sharing your files through Minus couldn't be easier.

With options to share via URL, email, Twitter or Facebook, Minus has you covered coming and going. There's no doubt that Minus' elegant blend of minimalism and robust sharing/storage capabilities make it a go-to service that you'll rely upon for years to come.

Be sure to check in every Friday for another edition of Maximum PC's Cool Site of the Week.

 

 

Google Teams With Dogfish Head To Create Globe-Trotting "URKontinent" Beer

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 11:32 AM PDT

It's a pseudo-holiday weekend here in the United States – by that, we mean kids and government employees get the day off, but pretty much everyone else still has to work – and for many folks, that means taking off the tie, sitting down, and cracking open a cold one. Why not let your inner geek shine through even in times of relaxation? No, Linux lovers, we're not talking about compiling your own ale (it would take too long to enjoy today), we talking about URKontinent, a new beer offered by Dogfish Head – and codeveloped by Google. Is there anything Google won't dabble in?

According to Dogfish Head's website, "URKontinent is brewed in the style of a Belgian Dubbel" and it sounds like it offers a global smorgasbord of flavor. The brew includes German, Belgian, Australian, South American, African, European, and North American ingredients; everything from Wattleseed to toasted Amaranth and Californian honey grown from Google's beehives makes the mix (Psssst – that's where URKontinent gets its name).  This ain't no wussy light beer, either; URKontinent clocks in at a relatively room-spinning 8.1 percent ABV.

The two groups collaborated cross-country thanks, in part, to the group video chat function known as Hangout that's available in the Google+ social media service.

Unfortunately, while URKontinent is inspired by ingredients around the world, it certainly isn't available globally. You probably won't even be able to get your lips on a glass if you don't live in Deleware. The brew's only available on tap at Dogfish Head's very own pub, and its only there until (roughly) the 27th of this month. Watch the awesome YouTube video above to get the entire story, thencheck out the URKontinent page at Dogfish's website.

Thanks to The Register for pointing this out!

Android App of the Week - SanDisk Memory Zone

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 11:17 AM PDT

Managing your phone's storage can be one of the toughest chores for an Android power user. With the amount of media content we go through these days, a few extra pictures or videos can be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. What gets even more complex is managing the various storage mediums that are available to an Android device. Local storage, a microSD card, and cloud services all have limited storage space that need maintenance from time to time.

   

SanDisk is no stranger to the storage world, but smart phone apps are something of a new venture for the company. SanDisk Memory Zone for Android lets you monitor local storage, as well as cloud based storage services such as DropBox and Picasa. Sandisk Memory Zone will display storage use by file type, making it easy to track down a specific file type as the culprit of your storage woes.

   

No one-trick pony, SanDisk Memory Zone also allows you to back up your local files to DropBox manually or on a schedule. This can be especially handy for business users wanting to keep their documents in a safe place.

SanDisk Memory Zone is currently in beta, but is available as a free download from the Android Market.

Win Tickets To The Sold Out GeForce LAN!

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 10:58 AM PDT

The GeForce LAN is back, and it's better than ever. This year, 48-hour LANstravaganza is going to be held on October 14th through 16th, on an aircraft carrier just outside of San Francisco, CA. Did we just say on an aircraft carrier? We did.

A general admission ticket lets you check out the event and play some Battlefield 3, but won't get you into the BYOC (bring your own computer) section, where the real gaming happens. Unfortunately, those tickets are sold out.

Except for you, Maximum PC readers--you've got a chance to win BYOC tickets to the event, totally free. Our friends over at Digital Storm are going to be running a DiRT 3 racing simulator competition at the LAN, and they've slipped us two sets of two tickets to give away. If you live in the Bay Area (or would be willing to make a last-minute road trip) and want to win the chance to attend a kick-ass gaming event with a friend, read on! 

We're giving one set of tickets away on our Facebook page, and one set away right here. If you want, you can enter both drawings! To enter the Facebook giveaway, go to our Facebook page and respond to our post about the giveaway. To enter here, just hit the comments below, and tell us about your favorite LAN experience, or about the one game you'd play the most if you went to the GeForce LAN. We'll draw winners on Monday, October 10th. Full contest rules below.

-----

 

Rules

MaximumPC contest rules: Anyone who comments on this post at MaximumPC.com or on the corresponding post on our Facebook page will be entered to win the tickets described in this post--one entry accepted on each site. Prizes will be awarded by random drawing. Submissions will be accepted until Monday the 10th of October at 04:00 PM PST. By entering this contest, you agree that Future US, Inc. may use your name, likeness, website, and submission for promotional purposes without further payment. Employees of Sponsor, its respective parent, subsidiaries, affiliated companies, and agents, and foregoing employees¹ household or immediate family members (defined as parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent) are NOT eligible to enter Contest. All prizes will be awarded, and no minimum number of entries is required. Prizes won by minors will be awarded to their parents or legal guardians. Future US, Inc. is not responsible for damages or expenses the winners might incur as a result of this contest or the receipt of a prize, and winners are responsible for income taxes based on the value of the prize received. A list of winners may also be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope toFuture US, Inc. c/o MaximumPC Contest, 4000 Shoreline Court, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080. This contest is limited to residents of the United States. No purchase necessary; void in Arizona, Maryland, Vermont, Puerto Rico, and where prohibited by law.

 

 

Intel Discontinues Core i5 661, i3 530, and Several LGA 775 Processors

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 08:51 AM PDT

Every so often you have to clean out your closet and make room for new digs. That's exactly what Intel is doing. The Santa Clara chip maker issued Product Discontinuance notices for several processors, including two LGA 1156 processors, the Core i5 661 (3.33GHz) and Core i3 530 (2.93GHz). Intel's notice affects both boxed and OEM CPUs.

There's no need to hit the panic button if you've had your eye on either of these chips for any reason. Intel will continue taking orders for both Clarksdale parts up until April 27, 2012. Shipments for retail box versions will continue while supplies last, and OEM chips will ship until October 5, 2012.

Several LGA 775 processors are also being slowly scrapped, including the Pentium E5700, Celeron E3500, and Celeron E3400. Intel will accept orders for all three up until December 30, 2011, and stop shipments by June 8, 2012 or while supplies last.

Oracle to Pay Nearly $200 Million to Settle False Claims Lawsuit

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 08:29 AM PDT

Oracle has agreed to cut a check for $199.5 million plus interest to the U.S. General Services Administration for "failing to meet contractual obligations," the U.S. Justice Department announced. For the GSA, this will be the largest False Claims Act settlement it has ever received to date, a record Oracle undoubtedly wishes it wasn't a part of.

According to the DoJ, Oracle entered into a contract in 1998 to sell software licenses and technical support to government agencies though GSA's Multiple Award Schedule. In order to be awarded such a contract, contractors must disclose commercial pricing policies and practices, and of course live up to the contract's terms.

The DoJ says "Oracle knowingly failed to meet its contractual obligations to provide GSA with current, accurate, and complete information about it commercial sales practices, including discounts offered to other custoemrs, and that Oracle knowingly made false statements to GSA about its sales practices and discounts." What it boils down to is Oracle giving its commercial customers bigger discounts than what the GSA received.

"To get access to hundreds of government purchasers, companies participating in the Multiple Award Schedule program must disclose their best prices," said Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "Today's agreement shows that we are committed to protecting taxpayer money by ensuring that these companies live up to their end of the bargain."

Former Oracle employee Paul Fascella will receive $40 million of the settlement money, or about 20 percent. Why? Whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act allow private citizens to bring lawsuits on behalf of the U.S. and share in any recovery obtained, the DoJ explains.

Forget the iPad, What People Really Want is a Windows Tablet

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 07:51 AM PDT

Take a look around and it's easy to come to the conclusion that Apple's iPad is what the masses want. After all, nobody's standing in line overnight to purchase a PlayBook. Next on the list is Android, though only if the price is right (and Amazon's Kindle Fire is priced right). Where does Windows fit in with all this? Maybe much higher than you think.

AllThingsD dug up some interesting stats and surveys that paint a picture of Windows lust on the tablet form factor. Boston Consulting Group (BCG), for example, recently conducted a survey and found that 42 percent of Americans want a Windows tablet, compared to 27 percent for iOS, 20 percent for Android, 9 percent for BlackBerry, and 3 percent for webOS.

"The interest rises to 53 percent of the market when non-users of tablets are factored into the equation," BCG said.

BCG isn't the only one reporting a preference for Windows. Forrester Research conducted a survey earlier in the year and found that 46 percent want Windows on their tablet, compared to 16 percent who want iOS and 9 percent pining away for Android.

If these numbers are accurate, it means there's a huge opportunity for Microsoft to swoop in and dominate a landscape that currently belongs to Apple.

What's your OS of choice on the tablet form factor?

Judge Rips Rambus for Shredding Documents in Nvidia Case

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 07:15 AM PDT

Rambus found itself on the hot seat when a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Court drilled into the company for destroying documents that could have weakened its patent infringement case against Nvidia. Rambus admitted to shredding documents, but chalked it up to business as usual. Furthermore, an attorney for Rambus said they provided all the documents that were requested of them. That's when Judge Kathleen O'Malley, one of three presiding over the case, tore into Rambus.

"You admit you have no idea what was destroyed! You have no record of what was destroyed!," the judge said, according to Reuters. Later on during the trial, the judge again referenced the document dump and took a swipe at Rambus' motives in doing so.

"Remember, you saved the ones that helped you and destroyed the ones that hurt you," the judge said.

This has been an ongoing dispute between Rambus and Nvidia, as well as several other companies Rambus has accused of patent infringement. The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled in 2010 that Nvidia was guilty of infringing three patents belonging to Rambus, but that was before anyone knew about Rambus destroying documents. That little nugget came out in separate cases involving Micron and Hynix, both of which were sent back to lower courts for further consideration.

MMO News

MMO News


League of Legends Dominion Gameplay

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 11:10 AM PDT

To Learn More About the Game, Check out our League of Legends Page.

League of Legends is a 3D multiplayer online battle arena MMO published by Riot Games. Gameplay wise it is remarkably similar to Warcraft III’s enormously popular custom game ‘Defense of the Ancients (DotA)’ as well as S2 Game’s Heroes of Newerth. Other free to play MOBA style games include Realm of the Titans, Avalon Heroes and Rise of Immortals. The video above shows off some gameplay in the new Dominion mode. To learn more about League of Legends check out the official MMOHut League of Legends page, which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


FFXIV's Yoshida answers fan questions in live producer letter video

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Final Fantasy XIV - campfire
If you're a Final Fantasy XIV fan -- and you're looking for a way to kill 90 minutes -- you might want to take a gander at the new producer letter video that's just been posted on the game's official website. Naoki Yoshida recently answered fan questions during a lengthy livestream session, and we've embedded the complete clip after the cut.

If wading through an hour and a half of rapid-fire Japanese (sans subtitles) isn't your thing, Square-Enix has provided a few text highlights to help you make sense of the Q&A session. Among the interesting tidbits are potential new races (to include demi-humans and dragons) as well as a mention of the dev team's priority focus on improving FFXIV's linkshell system and its party formation features.

Yoshida also offers a quick progress report on the process of transforming FFXIV from its launch state into a proper Final Fantasy game. "To be honest, I consider that we're about half-way to the point where we can confidently call it Final Fantasy," he says.

Continue reading FFXIV's Yoshida answers fan questions in live producer letter video

MassivelyFFXIV's Yoshida answers fan questions in live producer letter video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The panel is true: The Secret World preps a NYCC appearance

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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NYCC
MMO fans traveling out to the Big Apple for the New York Comic Con next weekend have another potential "must see" on their event list: an exclusive panel of The Secret World with the devs.

The panel will take place on Friday, October 14th at 4:00 p.m. EDT in room 1A24. It's here that Funcom devs Ragnar Tørnquist and Dag Scheve will not only present an all-new live demo of the upcoming conspiracy MMO but field questions from the audience in as candid a manner as possible.

Of course, considering the game in question, we note that this could be a trap by the Old Gods to swallow the souls of all those attending and turn them into husks to do the Old Gods' bidding, but that's just the chance you'll have to take.

MassivelyThe panel is true: The Secret World preps a NYCC appearance originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trion CEO: RIFT has the 'most dynamic gameplay ever' and is a 'serious competitor' for WoW

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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RIFT - caster casting
It's no secret that RIFT was one of the more successful MMORPGs launched in 2011. That said, is it making much of a dent in World of Warcraft's genre-dwarfing armor? Trion CEO Lars Buttler thinks so, and he recently told Industry Gamers that RIFT "is the most serious competitor [WoW] ever had."

Thanks to RIFT's success and the recently announced Red Door development and social networking platform, Buttler sees Trion as uniquely positioned to make headway in the post-WoW MMO marketplace despite the specter of Star Wars: The Old Republic looming on the horizon.

"I'm actually extremely excited about what's happening in our space. When we started five years ago, there was only WoW. Now there's RIFT as an absolute serious contender, with the most dynamic gameplay ever. Then there's Star Wars, then there's End of Nations coming. Then there's Defiance coming [...] so we're not afraid at all. We actually look forward to it with great excitement. It makes our point," Buttler says.

MassivelyTrion CEO: RIFT has the 'most dynamic gameplay ever' and is a 'serious competitor' for WoW originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Newest F2P blog for Star Trek Online talks about dilithium

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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Looks like the Corvette of starships.  And priced like one.
Star Trek Online has always had a variety of currencies for players, each allowing access to different stocks of items. But another form of money is coming into the game, and much like gold-pressed latinum, it's something that has a long history in lore. The rare and valuable dilithium is being introduced as a new form of reward, and the latest entry in the Path to F2P series discusses just how the new form of money will work.

The most important role that the ore will play will be in replacing the existing free ship tokens that had previously come when players achieved a new rank. Earning a new ship will now be a more difficult and involved task, with a discount coupon and a free offering of refined dilithium to make it easier to earn a ship on a rank increase, but it won't be automatic. The entry goes on to state that the current implementation on the test server is not quite right, and it includes more discussion about how much effort is meant to be involved in getting a brand-new ship.

MassivelyNewest F2P blog for Star Trek Online talks about dilithium originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do cartoony graphics bother you?

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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Itching for Glitch
I know we've tackled this topic before, but with my new obsession with Glitch (thanks to Beau and Rubi!), I've decided to revive the topic. Just as cartoons aren't always just for kids, cartoony graphics in video games aren't always just for kids.

Glitch is a perfect example of a game that looks like it's meant for a younger crowd, but the sense of humor and content actually requires a 14-or-older rule to play the game. This has, in the past, been a barrier to entry for those players who won't play something unless it's ultra-realistic in the graphics department. But I'd like to think our opinions have lightened up in the last few years.

So what's your stance? Do you see cartoony graphics as a complete turn-off? Are you attracted by the brighter colors and whimsical mood? Or does your opinion lie somewhere in between? Let us know!

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: Do cartoony graphics bother you? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Winning the Star Wars Galaxies GCW

    Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:00 PM PDT

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    SWG screenshot
    We sometimes joke about the impossibility of "winning" an MMO, but in the case of the doomed Star Wars Galaxies sandbox, it's an impending reality.

    A brand-new dev post today divulges the details of how the Galactic Civil War that's been raging across the game's servers for the last eight-plus years will be won. In short: "Whoever controls the galaxy at the end will win the war." The Rebels-vs.-Imperials PvP conflict will be settled through the existing planetary control system, in which each side vies for control over key cities on most of the game's planets. The team plans to tweak that system, weighting contributions and important regions to ensure that cheating and early landslide victories are simply not possible. As Mepps himself notes, "a smaller faction fighting smarter still has as much of a chance as a larger faction that assumes it will win." He also promises additional events and methods of GCW point gain as the finale approaches.

    Star Wars Galaxies is due to close down mid-December, so players have only a few months left to save or dominate the galaxy once and for all.

    MassivelyWinning the Star Wars Galaxies GCW originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Behind the Mask: The separation of newbie and expert

    Posted: 06 Oct 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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    Champions Online screenshot
    Last week on Behind the Mask, we got into a little discussion about why Champions Online's Elite difficulty needs to be buffed (and possibly also the very hard difficulty as well). This led to a discussion of whom Elite would be tailored for. I'm sure this is a big issue over at Cryptic right now. If Elite is increased in difficulty, whom should it be designed to suit?

    I was asked this burning question a few times, and I've made my opinion clear: that Elite should be for the top tier, the tip of the iceberg of player ability. Don't take that to mean Gold players only. There is a sharp divide between an expert Silver player and a poor Gold player. In fact, the poor Gold player is likely to be worse than a bad Silver player. How good is good enough? This week, we'll find out.

    Continue reading Behind the Mask: The separation of newbie and expert

    MassivelyBehind the Mask: The separation of newbie and expert originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      [Updated] Jump into Recursive Colony with a free booster code from Massively and Global Agenda!

      Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:30 PM PDT

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      Global Agenda
      Global Agenda's Recursive Colony expansion has been up and running for a few weeks now, and if you didn't get in right away, you might think it's too late to catch up.

      In the spirit of "it's never too late," we've partnered with Hi-Rez Studios to offer you just the thing to bring you up to speed: booster codes! When applied to your account, booster codes give you double XP, tokens, and credits as well as apply 2,000 tokens to your account every day. Booster codes can be purchased in the Global Agenda store, but we've got some free three-day codes here.

      [UPDATE: To apply your code, type "/claimpromotion" in-game rather than applying the code on the Global Agenda site]


      TO THE GIVEAWAY

      Massively[Updated] Jump into Recursive Colony with a free booster code from Massively and Global Agenda! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Guild Counsel: Making a new guild work in an old game

        Posted: 06 Oct 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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        Vanguard
        Running a successful guild is a difficult challenge, and I'm defining successful as a guild that, regardless of playstyle, can accomplish its goals and endure for years. There are thousands of guilds created, but very few of them last more than a year, and even fewer can boast of being around for longer.

        One of the toughest challenges for any guild leader is creating and building a guild from scratch in a game that's been around for years. I experienced that when I moved our guild from Vanguard to EverQuest II, where I had played for a few years before. We were the little fish in the big pond, and since everyone was either starting there for the first time or re-rolling on the server we chose, we had to build everything from the ground up. What made it hard was that as we leveled together and struggled through the content together, it became more and more tempting for people to jump ship and move to an established guild that was ahead of us.

        Building a new guild in an older game is difficult but not impossible, and there are a few areas to be mindful of if you want to run a guild that can survive the test of time. In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll look at a few ways that guild leaders can make a new guild in an old game actually work.

        Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Making a new guild work in an old game

        MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Making a new guild work in an old game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The MMO Report: Taunting beta-testers edition

          Posted: 06 Oct 2011 04:30 PM PDT

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          The MMO Report
          Welcome to another edition of The MMO Report, where everything's made up and the points don't matter. That's right, the points don't matter, just like those emails you got for the SWTOR beta. You're still not in it.

          First up on the agenda is Blizzard, which recently announced that the Foo Fighters, long known for their connection to the gaming industry [citation needed], will be playing at BlizzCon. Information on the upcoming Titan, however, will not be making an appearance.

          Meanwhile, Red 5 and Webzen have settled their legal dispute. Webzen came away with some healthy monetary compensation, while Red 5 gained global publishing rights to Firefall.

          Next we go deep into the 'hood of APB: Reloaded, where the devs have been busy dropping banhammers on the thick skulls of the game's less savory sorts. Anyone found using exploits or hacks has been mercilessly dispatched by, we presume, a series of drive-by shootings.

          Ragnar Tørnquist took the time to drop a few information bombs on fans of The Secret World, detailing the team's design philosophy and outlining how the game will place emphasis on lore and story.

          And last, but certainly not least, we have the curious case of BioWare's misplaced emails. A number of players had their hopes raised and then contemptuously dashed by a survey email that asked them to tell BioWare what they thought of their time in SWTOR. Needless to say, a furious uproar ensued, as millions of voices suddenly cried out in anger and were not-so-suddenly silenced.

          For the full MMO Report, complete with Uncle Casey's Mailbag, head on past the cut.

          Continue reading The MMO Report: Taunting beta-testers edition

          MassivelyThe MMO Report: Taunting beta-testers edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Snikt! Wolverine enters the fray of Marvel Universe Online

            Posted: 06 Oct 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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            Wolverine -- Marvel Universe Online
            Shh! Everyone, do you hear that? It sounds an awful lot like something going "snikt!" You know what that means, right? Everyone's favorite Canucklehead with an anger issue is coming to Marvel Universe Online.

            That's right, players will be able to take on the claws of Weapon X himself in the upcoming superhero MMO. Wolvie joins the roster alongside the Merc-with-a-mouth, Deadpool, bringing the total number of announced playable characters up to two. Who will be next to join the duo in the ranks of MUO? I'm putting my money on Northstar, personally. Why? Because he's fabulous, that's why. (Make it happen, Marvel!)

            MassivelySnikt! Wolverine enters the fray of Marvel Universe Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Prime: Battle for Dominus gets professional with new crafting details

            Posted: 06 Oct 2011 03:30 PM PDT

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            Screenshot -- Prime: Battle for Dominus
            A few months back, we got our first look at Prime: Battle for Dominus' profession and crafting system, but it was a bit scant on details. Thanks to the game's updated profession page, however, we're absolutely drowning in details. Drowning, I say! To recap, for those of you just joining us, the available professions are Armortech, Weapontech, Biotech, Chemist, Inventor, Harvester, and Soldier for Hire. Players can partake of any and all professions, but they can only choose to specialize in a single one.

            In order to create an item, players require schematics, which can be acquired in one of a few ways. Schematics can be learned from trainers, or they can be gained by reverse-engineering an item to discover what makes it tick. If you're the sneaky, saboteur type, you can even steal schematics from other factions and turn the enemy's own tools against them.

            The page features myriad details on all of the available professions, but perhaps most interesting is the new information about the oddball Soldier for Hire. The Soldier for Hire is not a crafting profession in the strictest sense but rather is more like a bounty hunter who can sell his services through an in-game interface. The new page reveals that players will have good reason to hire a Soldier for Hire over some random schmuck, as the Soldier will have access to gear and weapons exclusive to the profession.

            For the full details on the game's various crafting professions, head on over to the Prime: Battle for Dominus official site and have a look.

            MassivelyPrime: Battle for Dominus gets professional with new crafting details originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Captain's Log: Testing out the future

            Posted: 06 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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            Star Trek Online wallpaper of a pile of Tribbles
            Captain's Log, Stardate 65264.3...

            Hello, computer (and players)! As you have must have seen by now, open beta testing of Star Trek Online's new F2P model is well underway; the developers have been posting dev diaries about the impending changes for the last couple of days. Because testers on the Tribble test server were required to start new characters, and because character transfers will not be an option for at least a few weeks, many players have begun a mad dash to level up their test characters in order to test out some of the retooled endgame content.

            Since testing, especially in this manner, can be confusing, I have decided to dedicate this week's Captain's Log to those who are willing to take on the challenge. Past the jump, you will find a checklist of sorts that you can use while testing (or, ultimately, playing) the new content and updates. I suggest reading each section and then checking it out in-game. While some recommendations may seem less interesting than others, I suggest you give each a fair shot so you can provide feedback on what can make the game better.

            Ensign, warp 10! Let's give our dedicated Tribbleites some structure to their testing time...

            Continue reading Captain's Log: Testing out the future

            MassivelyCaptain's Log: Testing out the future originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Otherland dev talks timelines and Tad Williams' influence

              Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:30 PM PDT

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              Otherland - windmill and floating chess piece doohickeys
              MMORPGs based on pre-existing intellectual properties are a tricky business, and for every Lord of the Rings Online -- which at least makes an attempt at remaining faithful to its source material -- there's a Star Wars Galaxies or a Star Trek Online that sacrifices canonical authenticity on the altar of gameplay.

              Then there's Otherland, gamigo's ambitious MMO based on Tad Williams' famous sci-fi cycle. A new interview with gamigo CEO Patrick Streppel sheds a bit of light on the title's timeline and canon and teases fans with glimpses of what they'll see and do when they plug in to what amounts to a virtual world set in a virtual world.

              "Tad [Williams] has been very involved in the project from the beginning and provided lots of input to the development team on top of the source material. He is truly passionate about his vision being turned into a game," Streppel says. How will the game present that vision? It is "essentially a sequel" to the novels, and as a result of the dramatic conclusion at the end of the fourth and final book, it will now "be up to the players to get [Otherland] back online." The interview also delves briefly into gameplay topics, character creation, and more, so head to MPOGD.com to have a look.

              MassivelyOtherland dev talks timelines and Tad Williams' influence originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Ask Massively: Unpopular decisions edition

              Posted: 06 Oct 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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              For old time's sake.
              Ask Massively is apparently the mouthpiece through which Massively communicates its reasons for unpopular decisions to you, the reader. And by "Massively," I of course mean "Eliot," since I'm the only person who writes this column (and have been for over a year, apparently). So instead of my usual somewhat flippant tone in opening off a column, I'm just going to be direct and say that we're discussing one of the site's long-running and beloved features that's finally shuffled off this mortal coil.

              You probably all know what I'm talking about already, so go ahead and jump past the break for the explanation and a bit of discussion. As always, your questions are welcome in the comments or via mail to ask@massively.com for inclusion in a future installment of the column, hopefully one in which I go back to posting public domain artwork as the header before rambling on about elephants. I like those introductions better.

              Continue reading Ask Massively: Unpopular decisions edition

              MassivelyAsk Massively: Unpopular decisions edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                The Perfect Ten: Excuses for ditching a dungeon run (from least to most insane)

                Posted: 06 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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                The Perfect Ten
                I never knew I suffered from narcolepsy before I started playing MMOs, but it only took a few late-night dungeon-runs before I started to experience extremely rapid transitions between being an active member of my team and snoring somewhere in the vicinity of the WASD keys.

                I'm not saying that all dungeons are boring or anything, but rather that when you start one, you've kind of committed to seeing it through (unless you're the jerk who always teams up with me through the LFG tool). Unfortunately, that means you're locked into an unknowable span of time during which narcolepsy, hunger, and brilliant flashes of insight about how to cure Chronic Giggling Syndrome (CGS) can strike. What can you do? Usually, nothing other than to suffer through the slow plodding of your four other ball-and-chains and start burning small sacrifices to your deity of choice in hopes that this run will end soon.

                Or you can pull out an excuse and get out of Dodge. I'm not saying you should use these every night -- you will build up a very negative reputation, quickly, if you do so -- but sometimes you just need an escape hatch so you can go sleep, eat or call the CGS laboratories in Albuquerque. That's what I'm here to help you with today by providing 10 tested excuses to ditching that disastrous dungeon run and getting on with your life.

                Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Excuses for ditching a dungeon run (from least to most insane)

                MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Excuses for ditching a dungeon run (from least to most insane) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Preparing for the apocalypse (again): GamersFirst on Fallen Earth's F2P shift

                  Posted: 06 Oct 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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                  Fallen Earth
                  Today was my last day in Fallen Earth. My subscription ran out, so I was cut off from everything: glorious crafting, expansive exploration, black humor, and gas mask fashionware. Fortunately, my adventures will resume on October 12th, when Fallen Earth officially makes its transition to a hybrid free-to-play/subscription model.

                  Like many current players and potential clones, we are understandably curious about the implications and (pardon the pun) fallout from such a fundamental shift in the business model. Will F2P be the savior of this niche game? What's being done to prepare for the change? To answer these questions and more, we talked to Joseph Willmon, an associate game director for GamersFirst.

                  Massively: How are you preparing your servers for the added influx of free-to-play tourists?

                  Joseph Willmon: We're still wrapping up some of the final stages of settling the Fallen Earth servers into their new homes at GamersFirst, so soon they'll be as optimized as we want them to be. We're lucky in that Fallen Earth was designed from the ground up to support lots of people playing -- we'd have to blow all estimates out of the water really quickly in order for population to be an issue, which wouldn't be such a bad problem to have!

                  Continue reading Preparing for the apocalypse (again): GamersFirst on Fallen Earth's F2P shift

                  MassivelyPreparing for the apocalypse (again): GamersFirst on Fallen Earth's F2P shift originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Fighting the EverQuest hacking wildfire

                    Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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                    EQ
                    While hacking and botting may not be a source of frustration to you in your daily MMO, to the denizens of EverQuest, it is a real and ever-present headache. In what is already not the easiest MMO on the planet, players are experiencing an onslaught of hackers who go out of their way to ruin the fun for everyone.

                    In a three-part series, Ten Ton Hammer exposes the systematic problem of rampant hacking in the game, especially on the new progression servers. While guilds are doing their part to crack down on hackers in their midst, it doesn't seem to be enough to stem the flow, especially as with a much smaller team in place these days.

                    Ultimately, fighting this problem does not seem to be SOE's current priority. EQ Producer Thom Terazzas addressed the issue of hacking by saying, "The expansion is something that we're really focused on right now. That has gotten, I would say, 80 percent of the focus here. So doing anything that dramatically combats the hacking is something that we would really like to do, but it is not something we've been able to do."

                    Terazzas followed that up by talking with the Customer Service team and promised that the hackings will receive higher priority once the expansion crunch is over. In the meantime, he urged players to file reports with CS if hacking was observed.

                    MassivelyFighting the EverQuest hacking wildfire originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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