MMOGaming News

MMOGaming News


ArcheAge – Trion to launch game later this year with Update 1.2

Posted:

ArcheAge – Trion to launch game later this year with Update 1.2


Patch 1.2 introduces a host of exciting improvements on its own, including increased experience per Labor Point spent, a searchable crafting folio that works with recipe or ingredient names, significantly reduced (from Patch 1.0) glider turbulence on the high sea, and the ability to earn experience from crafting with maxed-out professions and participating in PvP during a war.

Everquest Landmark Explorer Pack Giveaway!

Posted:

Everquest Landmark Explorer Pack Giveaway!


Today I have a giveaway for all of you thanks to our partners at Gamehaunt.com! We are giving away two Explorer Founders Packs for Everquest Landmark and its really easy to enter!

Top 5 Intriguing Sandbox MMOS You Can't Miss

Posted:

Top 5 Intriguing Sandbox MMOS You Can't Miss


Hello mmositers,today i will present you my Favorite Sandbox mmos.Sandbox mmos offers more than typical mmos,beside the PVP and PVE in sandbox mmos offers more Freedom,Creativity.We are able to make something and show it off to thousand of players worldwide.Archeage is a great Cry Engine 3 Sandbox mmorpg,the open world housing sets a new standard for alll mmos.Black Desert the first Action Sandbox combination,we all can't wait to try the game.

MMORPG Reviews

MMORPG Reviews


Exclusive First Look at HEX: Shards of Fate with Gameplay Commentary

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 05:23 AM PDT

We've lately dedicated a bit of our time to check out HEX: Shards of Fate, the brand-new card collecting MMO from Hex Entertainment/ Cryptozoic Entertainment, which currently is in closed beta testing. This fantasy-based trading card title pits players against each other in one-on-one duels and is pretty involved and complex. It features some one-of-a-kind […]

The post Exclusive First Look at HEX: Shards of Fate with Gameplay Commentary appeared first on MMORPG Reviews.

Yellow Cruiser Pack Giveaway for Black Gold Online

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 04:57 AM PDT

Black Gold Online today starts into open beta testing and in case you're considering giving it a try, you definitely shouldn't miss this great giveaway we're having for you. It's your opportunity to obtain a Yellow Cruiser Pack that will give you a head start in the game between June 20 and July 20. Each […]

The post Yellow Cruiser Pack Giveaway for Black Gold Online appeared first on MMORPG Reviews.

The top 10 free-to-play browser games of June 2014

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 02:17 AM PDT

We thought today was the right time to present our exclusive selection of the 10 best free-to-play browser games in June 2014. In comparison to last month, some quite tremendous changes have taken place, with a total of three new addtions to our ranking, which is true for United Eleven, King’s Fable and Drakensang Online. The latter […]

The post The top 10 free-to-play browser games of June 2014 appeared first on MMORPG Reviews.



General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Ubisoft Gives Reason for Disabled Settings in PC Version of Watch Dogs

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 05:36 PM PDT

Watch DogsDisabled visual enhancements found in the game's code

The PC version of Watch Dogs has caused quite a bit of frustration for PC gamers since its release back in May. The game's launch was hampered by Uplay issues, Ubisoft's digital distribution platform, and overall performance issues. But the latest controversy has caused Ubisoft to respond to the discovery of deactivated settings for the PC version of Watch Dogs.

Modders recently discovered that high-end graphical effects had been deactivated for the PC retail version with NeoGaf user Jibbed documenting the discovery.  References were found in the code that suggested the settings and animations were meant for an "E3" mode when the game had been shown at the conference. Meanwhile, the discovery of the deactivated effects in the game's code prompted a modder with the handle TheWorse to release a mod that activates the visual enhancements 

Speculation on Ubisoft's reasons for disabling the graphical effects had prompted the developer to respond on its official website that reads, "The dev team is completely dedicated to getting the most out of each platform, so the notion that we would actively downgrade quality is contrary to everything we've set out to achieve. We test and optimize our games for each platform on which they're released, striving for the best possible quality." 

Admitting to the existence of the disabled settings in Watch Dogs, which broke into Raptr's "most-played games on PC" list for the month of May,  Ubisoft continued, "The PC version does indeed contain some old, unused render settings that were deactivated for a variety of reasons, including possible impacts on visual fidelity, stability, performance and overall gameplay quality. Modders are usually creative and passionate players, and while we appreciate their enthusiasm, the mod in question (which uses those old settings) subjectively enhances the game's visual fidelity in certain situations but also can have various negative impacts. Those could range from performance issues, to difficulty in reading the environment in order to appreciate the gameplay, to potentially making the game less enjoyable or even unstable."

In light of its admittance, will Ubisoft release a patch, or multiple patches, to enable the visual enhancements or will it be up to the modding community to pick up where they left off?

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No BS Podcast #226: In-depth Interview with AMD Graphics Guru Richard Huddy

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 04:06 PM PDT

richard huddy interviewAMD exec doubles down on assertion that Nvidia Gameworks presents a threat to PC gamers 

This week on episode 226 of the No BS Podcast, AMD graphics guru Richard Huddy joins the Maximum PC crew. For those unfamiliar with the AMD exec, Huddy has spent time working at ATI, AMD, Nvidia, Intel, and is now back at AMD. He's also widely considered one of the pioneers of DirectX. Suffice it to say, he knows his stuff.

In this special edition of the podcast, we pick his brain on a variety of topics relating to AMD. Easily the most exciting part of the discussion is the fact that Huddy doubles down on AMD's assertion that Nvidia Gameworks presents a threat to PC gamers, most notably by adding lines of code to games that would hinder performance on AMD graphics cards (It's some pretty damning assertions). We also talk about the recent controversy surrounding the PC version of Watch Dogs, discuss Mantle vs DirectX, AMD's answer to Nvidia Gsync, 4K, and the future of graphics/graphics cards. 

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AMD Adds Game DVR Beta to Raptr Software with New Update

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 03:15 PM PDT

Gaming Evolved LogoNew feature lets you record last 10 minutes gameplay

For those who like to record their gameplay sessions, and share them with others, AMD offers a screen recording utility like FRAPS for those with AMD Radeon GPUs and APUs. Recently, AMD released a new update for its Gaming Evolved client that improves the performance.

Powered by Raptr, the client's recording utility, thanks to the update, has been fine-tuned so that users will now have high-quality video capture without any impact on performance, according to the hardware manufacturer. Simply restart the client to update or download it directly from Raptr's website. The client's UI has been redesigned so that it is faster and easier to use. In addition, the library of games optimized for the Gaming Evolved client has been expanded to 204 titles.

Included in the update is the Game DVR beta that continually records the last 10 minutes of a player's game session and allows them to instantly save a particular moment during their gameplay experience. To use this feature, AMD users just need to click Record in the client's Home tab and it will capture the last fifteen seconds by default (this can be increased to 10 minutes). To save the clip you just hit Page Up + K while pressing Page Up + R will start and stop gameplay capture. 

Will you be using the Gaming Evolved client to record and stream your games? Sound off in the comments below!

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Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is Now Available at Stores

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 08:55 AM PDT

Microsoft Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 3 has arrived!

Today we'll begin to find out if Microsoft is on the right track with its Surface hardware. As the company promised, Surface Pro 3 is available at retail stores, online, and through authorized resellers in the U.S. and Canada today, exactly one month after Microsoft announced the upgraded device during a press event in New York City. The caveat? Only the Core i5 version is available straight away.

Anyone who pre-ordered a Surface Pro 3 with an Intel Core i5 processor inside will receive them directly. The Core i3 and Core i7 versions will begin shipping on August 1, which is also when they'll be available to purchase in stores and at commercial resellers.

As for the docking stating, Microsoft's Panos Panay said it will be available beginning Friday, August 15 in the U.S. and Canada, though you can pre-order one today.

There are two versions of the Surface Pro 3 with a Core i5 inside -- a $999 model with a 128GB SSD and a $1,299 model with a 256GB SSD. The least expensive Surface Pro 3 is the Core i3 SKU with 64GB, which starts at $799. Those interested in Core i7 models have the 256GB ($1,549) and 512GB ($1,949) models to choose from.

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Titanfall for PC is Free to Play on Origin This Weekend

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 08:37 AM PDT

TitanfallYou can't beat the price!

Looking for something to do this weekend? If your'e a PC gamer, you have options. For one, Steam's Summer Sale is underway, which means adding more games to your library than you'll possibly have time to play. If you'd rather not spend a dime but still want something new to play with, good news -- Titanfall on PC is free to play for the entire weekend! We're not talking about a teaser demo, mind you, but the full game.

Yes, you have to go through Origin, and not all gamers are cool with that. But it's free for 48 hours, which is a price we can live with. It's part of "Origin Game Time," a new program on Origin that allows you to play full versions of certain titles for as long as there's time on your Game Time clock.

"This weekend you'll be able to download Titanfall and play for free for two days straight. We're launching Origin Game Time for Titanfall across the world over the next several hours, so if you don't see it available yet in your territory, you will soon. Origin Game Time games will appear on our Free Games page when they're available to download," EA said.

The 48 hour timer begins to roll down after you start Titanfall for the first time and continues to tick down in real time. Your progress will be saved when you take a break, though the timer continues to tick regardless of whether you're playing or not.

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BlackBerry Stops the Bleeding, Posts a Small Profit

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 08:20 AM PDT

John ChenStruggling handset maker sees light at the end of the tunnel

There may be hope for BlackBerry yet. The company formerly known as RIM -- these days it's just BlackBerry -- surprised investors and analysts by posting a $23 million profit for the three-month period ended May 31, 2014. That's quite a change from the $423 million loss it posted three months ago, and the $84 million loss it posted a year ago after being beaten down by the competition.

The gain in profit came despite a $10 million sequential drop in revenue ($966 million for $976 million the previous quarter). About 39 percent of BlackBerry's revenue came from hardware sales, 54 percent from services, and 7 percent for software and other areas.

"Our performance in fiscal Q1 demonstrates that we are firmly on track to achieve important milestones, including our financial objectives and delivering a strong product portfolio," said John Chen, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlackBerry. "Over the past six months, we have focused on improving efficiency in all aspects of our operations to drive cost reductions and margin improvement. Looking forward, we are focusing on our growth plan to enable our return to profitability."

For the first time in a long time, things are looking relatively bright for BlackBerry, or at least brighter than they have been. Following a profitable quarter, BlackBerry's upcoming BB10.3 software will allow users to install Android apps from the Amazon Appstore.

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Adobe's $9.99 Creative Cloud Photography Plan Now Permanent

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 07:54 AM PDT

Photoshop CCPhotoshop CC and Lightroom 5 bundle now $9.99 per month

In November of last year, Adobe began offering Photoshop CC, Lightroom, and 20GB of storage for the special price of $9.99 per month. That deal was supposed to run until December 2, but was extended. The same price was available to students. Fast forward to today and Adobe has opted to do away with all the special price shenanigans and make Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5 permanently available for $9.99 per month.

Officially, Adobe is promoting this as a new Creative Cloud Photography plan designed for anyone interested in taking and editing photos. Signing up for the monthly plan requires a 1-year commitment, or you can pay the entire sum for the year ($119.88 plus local taxes).

"With our Lightroom products alone managing over 100 billion images, we know there's a huge appetite from photography enthusiasts to have powerful, world-class software available on their mobile devices as well as their computers," said Winston Hendrickson, vice president, digital imaging, Adobe. "With Photoshop, Lightroom and new mobile photo apps, we've created the most complete photography solution on the planet, ensuring that anyone interested in photography can be creative with their images, no matter where they are."

The benefit to a cloud subscription is that you're ensured of always having the latest version of Photoshop and all the new tools that get released. If you're unsure, there's a 30-day trial available as well.

To sign up (or learn more), head over to here.

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Newegg Daily Deals: Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P AM3+ Mobo, Logitech G230 Headset, and More!

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 05:31 AM PDT

Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3Pnewegg logo

Top Deal:

Ah, the smell of a new build. You know what we're talking about -- it's that delightful scent of unboxing and unwrapping brand new PC parts. It's the next best thing to a new car smell, only a heck of a lot cheaper, especially if you planning a lower cost system to begin with. Starting to get ideas? Well then, check out today's top deal for a Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P AM3+ AMD 970 Motherboard for $70 with free shipping (normally $85 - use coupon code: [EMCPDWC29]; additional $10 mail-in-rebate).

Other Deals:

Western Digital WD Green 1TB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for $55 with free shipping (normally $65 - use coupon code: [EMCPDWC26])

Hanns-G  23.6-inch 5ms Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor for $120 with free shipping (normally $130 - use coupon code: [EMCPDWC46])

Logitech G230 3.5mm Connector Circumaural Stereo Gaming Headset for $36 with free shipping (normally $60)

Rosewill 750W Continuous 80 Plus Gold, ATX12V Power Supply for $70 with free shipping (normally $100 - use coupon code: [EMCPDWC97]; Additional $15 Mail-in rebate)

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Black Gold Online enters open beta today

Posted: 20 Jun 2014 11:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , ,

Black Gold Online
Snail Games is opening up the coppery patina doors to open beta for its steampunk MMO Black Gold Online today. Interested players can hop in at 5 p.m. EDT (2 p.m. PDT) for a chance to win exclusive in-game items.

You can choose to play as either the mechanized Kingdom of Isenhorst or the magic-based Erlandir Union in a war to gain control of a crystallized energy known as Black Gold.

"The open beta lets anyone join who is eager to explore and battle throughout our unique bilateral land of steampunk and fantasy," says Jim Tsai, VP of Snail Games USA. "The open beta's massive activity data and player feedback will be leveraged to put the final touches on one of this year's most anticipated MMORPGs prior to its launch later this year."

You can find out more about the open beta events and in-game items on the official site.

[Source: Snail Games press release]

MassivelyBlack Gold Online enters open beta today originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jun 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Tamriel Infinium: In which you're told that Elder Scrolls Online kicks ass

    Posted: 20 Jun 2014 10:00 AM PDT

    Filed under: , , , , ,

    Welcome back to Tamriel Infinium, folks. I'll be your new writer, but don't worry about Larry. He's alive, well, and we're lucky to have him back at the helm of Hyperspace Beacon here on Massively.

    I've done plenty of dedicated game columns in the past, but it has been a while, so you'll have to bear with me while I shoot from the hip for a week or three and figure out what's best for this space. One thing I know already is that I dig Elder Scrolls Online, even though that's a pretty unpopular opinion in some quarters. With that in mind, let's poke fun at anti-ESO hipsters after the break, shall we?

    Continue reading Tamriel Infinium: In which you're told that Elder Scrolls Online kicks ass

    MassivelyTamriel Infinium: In which you're told that Elder Scrolls Online kicks ass originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jun 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Symantec's COO credits his WoW credentials with boosting his resume

      Posted: 20 Jun 2014 09:00 AM PDT

      Filed under: , , ,

      Stephen Gillett
      Symantec COO Stephen Gillett is proud of his past accomplishments, including high-ranking positions at Starbucks, CNET, and Best Buy. But it may be his level 70 Paladin and Priest in World of Warcraft that got him in the door and up that ladder.

      Gillett believes that adding his World of Warcraft guild leadership stats to his resume has helped him land these tops jobs. "Here's my guild. Here's my ranking. Here's my biggest online achievement," Gillett said in a CNN interview. "Some people look at it and say, 'What the hell is this?' And others will be like, 'That's exactly what I'm looking for.'"

      "I think gamification and the way of thinking about it is applicable to any industry," Gillett continued. "Right now we get really good information on malware -- what it does, how it acts. But we have no telemetry on the human part of it -- what people were doing, thinking and believing when they encountered that particular threat."

      MassivelySymantec's COO credits his WoW credentials with boosting his resume originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jun 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Riot seeks 'culturally aligned' devs, offers cash payouts for quitting

      Posted: 20 Jun 2014 08:00 AM PDT

      Filed under: , , , , ,

      League of Legends developer Riot has unveiled an initiative called Queue Dodge which is designed to strengthen the gamemaker's workforce and "reinforce" its internal culture.

      "We operate on a foundation of shared mission, values, passion, trust, and mutual respect," says the company's announcement post. "If someone gags on the unique flavor of our culture, they'd be doing themselves and the company a disservice to hang on just for the paycheck. Culturally aligned people and teams are more effective, and alignment around mission and values allows us to better serve players. We've designed Queue Dodge to help self-identified mismatches move on in an open, positive, and constructive way."

      Riot new-hires can opt in to the program during their first 60 days on the job. They will be paid 10 percent of their annual salary -- up to $25,000 -- to leave.

      MassivelyRiot seeks 'culturally aligned' devs, offers cash payouts for quitting originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jun 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Raph Koster on Origin's Privateer Online

      Posted: 20 Jun 2014 07:00 AM PDT

      Filed under: , , , , ,

      Privateer Online team
      Raph Koster's thrown up a fairly fascinating blog post detailing one of his Origin projects that never saw the light of day. It was originally codenamed Star Settlers and it featured procedurally generated planets, exploration, resource management, and more.

      Koster's executive bosses "blew up a huge portion of the design" in favor of fitting the fledgling game into Origin's Wing Commander IP, several online versions of which were already in the works. "Some of them had gotten pretty far -- piles of artwork, design work, and even some tech," Koster writes.

      Finally a Privateer Online team was assembled, and it cranked out a prototype featuring "radically different" procedural planets, multiplayer space dogfighting, fractal ship customization, modular planetary settlement capabilities, and "a huge pile of lore" written by Wing Commander vets. Though Privateer Online was cancelled in favor of Earth & Beyond and its design docs were burned in a bonfire at Origin's shut-down party, Koster says that many of the developers went on to make Star Wars Galaxies which contained some of the same ideas.

      MassivelyRaph Koster on Origin's Privateer Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jun 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: Do you share MMO accounts with your friends?

      Posted: 20 Jun 2014 06:00 AM PDT

      Filed under: , , , , ,

      GW1
      Account sharing. It's a bad idea. No, it's a terrible idea. It violates most MMO terms of service agreements, and it violates the most basic security principles: Never share your game account. Anything shared can easily be stolen or compromised by someone even less security-aware than you.

      But if you've been playing MMOs long enough, you've probably shared your account, at least with your spouse or your kids or roommate. And then it spreads. Your guild really needs a main tank for a dungeon run, but you want to get some grub, so you let a guildie play you. You want to dual-box a friend's newbie to catch her up while she's at work. You need someone to log in your toon and refresh your house while you're on vacation. I'm not judging you here; I'm guilty myself. Heck, before I was allowed to join my first guild way back forever ago, I was required to hand over my account info to the recruiting officer to prove I wasn't a spy! And my husband and I pretty much share our characters completely, rules be damned.

      Do you folks share your MMO accounts with friends, guildies, or relatives? Has it ever come back to haunt you?

      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 you share MMO accounts with your friends? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jun 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        SOE relies on players to report inappropriate posts

        Posted: 19 Jun 2014 08:00 PM PDT

        Filed under: , , ,

        EQ2
        If you see something, SOE definitely wants you to say something.

        EverQuest II CM Linda Carlson responded to a post on EQ2Wire to say that the studio depends on its players to help police the "meeelions" of comments in its forums. "Unless we are actually perusing the forums when something comes up, we do indeed rely on players helping to keep the forum community a reasonable and comfortable place to post by reporting disruptive or inappropriate posts," Carlson said.

        Carlson went on to give advice on how to constructively post on forums and avoid unnecessary conflict with other posters, including "Never post angry. Never post drunk." and "Two trolls do not make a right."

        MassivelySOE relies on players to report inappropriate posts originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Riding High might be the horse-riding MMO you've been waiting for

        Posted: 19 Jun 2014 07:00 PM PDT

        Filed under: , ,

        If you legitimately claim that there's no game out there to suit your niche interest, you are demonstrably incorrect.
        So how would you rate the horse situation in the games that you've played to date? Abysmal? Deplorable? Have you longed for the day when you could finally have your dream game that allowed you to take on the role of a horse in a third-person cover-based online experience? Riding High promises to let you do just that. Except for the third-person cover-based part. You won't be shooting anything here; you'll just be owning a virtual horse.

        While the official site is a little bare, the game's Facebook page has recently posted answers to a number of questions, confirming, for example, that the game will feature distinct personalities for each horse and that players will be able to engage in PvP activities. (Probably not horse fights.) If this really is all you ever wanted from online gaming, you can register for the future beta test on the official site.

        [Thanks to Zenaphex for the tip!]

        MassivelyRiding High might be the horse-riding MMO you've been waiting for originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          World War II Online crowdfunds a client update

          Posted: 19 Jun 2014 06:30 PM PDT

          Filed under: , , , ,

          WW2 online
          In an effort to update an aging client without breaking the developer's bank, World War II Online: Battleground Europe turned to the community to crowdfund the project -- and the community delivered.

          A $9,250 fundraiser on Indiegogo dedicated to the creation of a new test server, PC client, and Mac client was met and surpassed this past week. The update, which should roll out within six months, will include billing tools for Steam and improved audio and visuals.

          The crowdfunding campaign is now aiming for stretch goals that could add community upgrades, improved tech infrastructure, and additional marketing.

          MassivelyWorld War II Online crowdfunds a client update originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Think Tank: The best of E3 2014's MMO offerings

          Posted: 19 Jun 2014 06:00 PM PDT

          Filed under: , , , ,

          Elite
          E3 has come and gone, and we, the members of the Massively crew, have taken some time to reflect on the MMO shenanigans we saw and read about and experienced vicariously through the folks we conned into going to LA our dear and intrepid field reporters.

          Here's what our writers thought about E3's offerings for MMO players.

          Continue reading The Think Tank: The best of E3 2014's MMO offerings

          MassivelyThe Think Tank: The best of E3 2014's MMO offerings originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Season two of Defiance premieres on Syfy tonight

            Posted: 19 Jun 2014 05:30 PM PDT

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            Defiance
            Season two of the transmedia-synergistic sci-fi wonder Defiance premieres tonight at 8 p.m. EDT on the Syfy channel. "Tonight's show picks up one year after the conclusion of Season One," says the official press release, "and players of Defiance the game can get a firsthand look at what the shows characters have been up to, as the Tarr family has expanded its operations into the Bay Area in Datak's absence, and thief Josh Nolan returns to the Bay Area in search of Irisa."

            Trion devs have teased the game's version of the season two storyline as well, promising new missions, new gear, a new landmass, and a new enemy faction known as The Grid.

            We've got the season two trailer below!

            Continue reading Season two of Defiance premieres on Syfy tonight

            MassivelySeason two of Defiance premieres on Syfy tonight originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Stream Team: Leaping into LEGO Minifigures Online's open beta

            Posted: 19 Jun 2014 05:00 PM PDT

            Filed under: , , , , , ,

            Massively's MJ is beyond excited to delve into the wonderful world of LEGOs in the new LEGO Minifigures Online. That's right, she gets to live out her LEGO fantasies as an adorable little figurine who is out for adventure. The hardest part may be choosing what to play: Will she be a Librarian, a Mermaid, a Trendsetter, or a Forest Maiden? Perhaps she'll bust out of her female mold and be a Skydiver, a Cyclops, or even a Grandpa. Join us live at 7:00 p.m. for a look at all the choices and MJ's first moments in the game's newly opened beta.

            Game: LEGO Minifigures Online
            Host: MJ Guthrie
            Date: Thursday, June 19th, 2014
            Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT

            Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

            Continue reading The Stream Team: Leaping into LEGO Minifigures Online's open beta

            MassivelyThe Stream Team: Leaping into LEGO Minifigures Online's open beta originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Elite: Dangerous heading into Premium Beta 2 on June 24th

              Posted: 19 Jun 2014 04:30 PM PDT

              Filed under: , , , ,

              elite
              The next stage of Elite: Dangerous' premium beta is coming next Tuesday. In newsletter #28, Frontier Developments said that Premium Beta 2 will begin on June 24th and include several new features, including gameplay optimizations, three new star systems, high-resolution screen capture, German localization, and the Zorgon Peterson Hauler trading ship.

              Premium Beta 2 will begin with a wipe, although Frontier will be giving players in-game credits that correspond to progress made to date. Players can buy into the premium beta only through July 15th, which could indicate that the standard beta test is slated for later this summer.

              [Thanks to Cotic for the tip!]

              MassivelyElite: Dangerous heading into Premium Beta 2 on June 24th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              The Elder Scrolls Online illuminates its veteran dungeons

              Posted: 19 Jun 2014 04:00 PM PDT

              Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

              ESO
              A new Creating ESO blog post on the official Elder Scrolls Online site today aims to give players an inside look at the process of creating the game's veteran dungeons. These dungeons are "much more than just tuned-up, harder versions of the original dungeon[s]," the post insists; they're special boss encounters and storyline expansions that include complex mechanics and battles. They likewise include elite loot, the acquisition of which often requires repetition, something the developers say they keep in mind when writing dialogue and staging the area.

              ZeniMax also emphasizes the importance of testing for these dungeons:
              Much like we do for Trials, we have groups of skilled, coordinated testers ready to take them on. The Dungeon Team wants to kill you, don't get them wrong, but they don't want bosses to be unfair or impossible. It's a difficult tuning and balancing act to get them just right, especially considering the broad range of character builds that will be attempting them. When the testers wipe several times learning the fight and let out a cheer when they finally manage to scrape by with a win, we know we're on the right track.
              The video that accompanies the post is embedded below.

              Continue reading The Elder Scrolls Online illuminates its veteran dungeons

              MassivelyThe Elder Scrolls Online illuminates its veteran dungeons originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Pathfinder Online details the War of Towers

              Posted: 19 Jun 2014 03:30 PM PDT

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              Not pictured in this screenshot: towers, wars.
              If you're gearing up for Early Enrollment in Pathfinder Online, you'll be pleased to know that your experience will be a bit more robust than planned. When the development team looked at the minimum viable early access product, it didn't appear indicative of what the game was supposed to be in the long run, but there was no way to get the full territory control system in without a lot of further work. So what could be done? Why, a stripped-down version.

              Dubbed the War of Towers, the system will reward players for capturing and controlling towers near one of the existing Settlements, allowing those Settlements to advance and improve in new directions. There's a video available just past the break that explains the details of how this tower capturing works, but the short version is that it should at least fill a gap until the full territory control system can be rolled out later.

              Continue reading Pathfinder Online details the War of Towers

              MassivelyPathfinder Online details the War of Towers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Star Trek Online lifetime subscription goes on sale

              Posted: 19 Jun 2014 03:00 PM PDT

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              STO
              Starship captains in the future may not have a need for money, but you do if you want to buy into a lifetime subscription for Star Trek Online. Fortunately, Cryptic has made that option easier for interested parties, lowering the price from $299 to $199 through July 10th.

              A lifetime subscription to Star Trek Online includes all gold membership options, a monthly ZEN stipend, all veteran rewards past and future, and priority login.

              MassivelyStar Trek Online lifetime subscription goes on sale originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Final Fantasy XIV offers a preview of 2.3's story

              Posted: 19 Jun 2014 02:30 PM PDT

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              We don't know who Shiva belongs to as a Primal, but you can't look at this and then look at  the ice queen without thinking that there has to be a connection.  And the potential implications are... unsettling.
              Final Fantasy XIV is rolling out patch 2.3 very shortly, and that means the game's main story will continue onward. The latest preview on the official site hints at what comes next for the Warriors of Light (i.e., the player characters) as well as what's around the bend for Inspector Hildibrand. Dedicated followers of the game know that the next patch will feature Ramuh, but there appears to be more going on than simply the appearance of the next Primal.

              The story preview hints that the next update will focus on Thanalan and Coerthas as well as the Black Shroud, with implications that Shiva may not be exactly who players are expecting. Hildibrand's next adventure, meanwhile, looks to be taking a decided turn for the nautical, complete with a new look for the Inspector. Take a gander at the preview as well as the Facebook preview gallery for more hints about what will be going live with the patch.

              MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV offers a preview of 2.3's story originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Get cheap MMOs and a zillion early access titles in the Steam Summer Sale

              Posted: 19 Jun 2014 02:15 PM PDT

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              Steam
              If your Steam wish list is filled with early access games on sale for exactly one half of twice too much, well, I know the feeling. But MMO players still might want to take a look at the summer sale that began today since some MMOs have been marked down by as much as 58%. Here are just a few (prices in US dollars): Check out the full list of Steam MMOs and MMO-tagged games for even more sales.

              MassivelyGet cheap MMOs and a zillion early access titles in the Steam Summer Sale originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Diablo III is closing the auction house for good next week

              Posted: 19 Jun 2014 02:00 PM PDT

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              D3
              Diablo III's auction house is on its last leg, giving up its ghost, and seeing a hellish light at the end of the tunnel. As of June 24th, all traces of the controversial feature will be removed from the game for good.

              Blizzard sent out a reminder today about the auction house, stating that while its economic functions were disabled in March, the studio left it up for a few months past that to allow players to retrieve items and gold. Any items and gold left unattended will be sucked into the abyss on next Tuesday, so beware!

              MassivelyDiablo III is closing the auction house for good next week originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Neverwinter throws Protector's Jubilee for first anniversary

              Posted: 19 Jun 2014 01:30 PM PDT

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              Neverwinter
              Can you believe it: Neverwinter is one year old today! It's been a strong first year for this D&D title, and to celebrate the occasion the team is hosting a new event in the game called the Protector's Jubilee.

              The Protector's Jubilee will feature bright decorations in Protector's Enclave, covert missions, defensive skirmishes, and plenty of rewards including the jester attire. Players can grab keys during the event to a new area called the Protector's Garden that will remain in the game going forward. The festivities will go from today through June 25th.

              [Source: Perfect World press release]

              MassivelyNeverwinter throws Protector's Jubilee for first anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Tara Strong on Guild Wars 2's 'British Harley Quinn'

                Posted: 19 Jun 2014 01:00 PM PDT

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                Chances are that you've encountered a character played by Tara Strong, since the prolific voice actress sports a resume that reads like a gaming greatest hits list. It includes MMOs and sort-of MMOs like Star Wars: The Old Republic, Marvel Heroes, Infinite Crisis, and Guild Wars 2.

                Strong's GW2 work goes under the microscope in ArenaNet's latest video release. It's basically a three-minute behind-the-scenes/interview mashup featuring Living World villainess Scarlet Briar, whom Strong describes as a "British Harley [Quinn]."

                Click past the cut to have a look.

                Continue reading Tara Strong on Guild Wars 2's 'British Harley Quinn'

                MassivelyTara Strong on Guild Wars 2's 'British Harley Quinn' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Smedley plays H1Z1 on Steam, talks early access

                Posted: 19 Jun 2014 12:30 PM PDT

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                John Smedley tells Reddit that he has played H1Z1 on Steam. "It's our first step toward early access launch," he writes, though the date is still up in the air.

                "We don't mean to be coy about the date," he says. "We just realized after that initial date it would be smarter to announce it after our feature list was complete. So expect to hear more on the date fairly soon." Smedley also mentions a few features that the dev team is currently working on, including bow crafting, "shooting a deer in the eye with the bow," and more.

                [Header image by H1Z1Jane via SOE]

                MassivelySmedley plays H1Z1 on Steam, talks early access originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Star Citizen's new persistent universe director loves economic, strategic gameplay

                Posted: 19 Jun 2014 12:00 PM PDT

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                How important is Star Citizen's persistent universe? Important enough that Chris Roberts has hired game industry veteran Tony Zurovec to oversee its direction.

                "The game has become so big that I can't actually direct every single aspect of it every single moment of the day," Roberts explains at the outset of a new 40-minute interview vid posted on Cloud Imperium's official site. Zurovec previously worked with Roberts at Origin and Digital Anvil. He also developed the Crusader series and brings a love of economic and strategic gameplay on a galactic scale to the table.

                Roberts also mentions Zurovec's work on an unreleased Digital Anvil game called Loose Cannon that was essentially "Privateer on wheels" and a pre-cursor to the sort of open-world sandbox mayhem found in Grand Theft Auto III and its sequels.

                Click past the cut to watch the full interview.

                Continue reading Star Citizen's new persistent universe director loves economic, strategic gameplay

                MassivelyStar Citizen's new persistent universe director loves economic, strategic gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                SWTOR devs say Star Cluster prices and rarities are working as intended

                Posted: 19 Jun 2014 11:00 AM PDT

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                A minor brouhaha has been, well, brewing in Star Wars: The Old Republic's community since the release of the game's Star Cluster cash shop packs. Players have been complaining about everything from emote unlock prices to item rarities (it's currently unlikely that you'll be able to collect a matching set of the pack's new armor given the scarcity of certain pieces).

                BioWare community manager Eric Musco took to the game's forums this morning to clarify the company's stance on the issues. "Those prices are intended. Collections prices are something that is not completely static from one pack to another and can shift," Musco wrote. "Similarly, many of you might notice that in the Star Cluster pack there are different amounts of items at different rarities than normal (more rares, less commons, etc.). With the Star Cluster pack, we were trying out some new things. I can tell you that the team has heard your feedback around both the rarities and the collections pricing and will adjust accordingly in future packs."

                MassivelySWTOR devs say Star Cluster prices and rarities are working as intended originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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