| Faxion Online gets its wings... and some combat overhauls Posted: 23 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Faxion Online Faxion Online has only been out a short while, but the staff at UTV True Games is hard at work trying to make the game better from the start. The newest patch for the game, 1.58, has just gone live, bringing with it a variety of improvements and the addition of two brand-new wing styles. But those aren't the centerpiece of the patch, which is instead focused (pun unintended) around a rebalancing of the Focus stat and some large-scale combat changes. The short version is that Focus was doing too much and has had some of its functions as a stat moved elsewhere. The long version goes into detail about how values will affect characters differently in the post-1.58 world. Faxion Online players can take a peek at the full list of patch notes right here, or they can just log on and start picking up some fallen angel wings post-haste.  Faxion Online gets its wings... and some combat overhauls originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Joel Bylos on building a better Secret World Posted: 23 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Sci-fi, Previews, The Secret World, Post-Apocalyptic, Dev Diaries If you were given the chance to build your very own world from scratch, how would you do it? What would you include? Would it be a world of beauty or dark dreamscapes? And would the inhabitants enjoy their stay or flee in terror? To the team at Funcom tasked with fashioning The Secret World's... world, this isn't a hypothetical question, but a practical one. In a new developer blog post, Lead Content Designer Joel Bylos returns to share a behind-the-scenes view of how a game world is made. Bylos says that there are four aspects to world-building: identifying purpose, research, building flow, and prototyping and production. Because The Secret World takes place on our planet in the here-and-now, the team has a reference point to begin, but layers a "secret history" on top of it. Bylos explains by saying, "This is the history of an area as only a member of The Secret World can experience it; the footprints of the secret societies and their past conflicts; the truth behind the local myths and legends; the echoes of ancient magic and forgotten rituals." Of course, it's one thing to design something what you think is interesting and fun -- it's another to see if it works out in practice. All of this planning on paper is just the first stage of getting it in the game, which Bylos promises will come in an upcoming post. Joel Bylos on building a better Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MapleStory's Chaos updates kicking off with the Age of Heroes Posted: 23 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MapleStory, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play It's been a while since we've heard from MapleStory, but today the free-to-play side-scroller from Nexon has taken the wraps off its Chaos summer update plans. The next two months will bring major content updates to Maple World courtesy of the Age of Heroes patch that drops on June 29th. New quests, zones, and a new high-level boss are all on tap, as is a battle through the Henesys Ruins and the Knight Stronghold that Nexon's press release describes as " the most formidable challenge in the entire game." The Age of Heroes update will also bring about a hero class re-balance, and restrictions for creating Dual Blade, Aran, and Evan classes will be lifted. Explorers, Cygnus, and Resistance classes are also being tweaked, and players will find them " more powerful than ever" due to main skill enhancements. Later in the summer, the Age of Artisans update will unveil a new level-based crafting system, and the Age of Battle will bring a PvP mode to MapleStory. Head to the official site for all the details. MapleStory's Chaos updates kicking off with the Age of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Uncharted Waters Online moves to gPotato Posted: 23 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play gPotato already hosts a substantial number of different games -- Aika, Allods Online, and Rappelz spring to mind as some of the more familiar names. But that list has just expanded by one more entry, as Uncharted Waters Online joins the service. The 15th-century naval game allows players to create a naval pioneer during the Age of Exploration from any of the six major powers of the time, adventuring in the (highly stylized) backdrop of the era. To celebrate the change in service, the game is running two new events: a new player contest with a number of high-end prizes and a doubled experience event for all players below a certain level. Both events will be running until late July, giving everyone interested in the game ample time to take part. So whether you're an old fan of Uncharted Waters Online or you're new to the concept, it seems like a fine time to give it a shot. Uncharted Waters Online moves to gPotato originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: How many chances does a game get to hook you? Posted: 23 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous With the glut of new (and undying) MMORPGs crowding the current market, sampling a large number of them can be extremely challenging. There simply isn't enough time to take it all in, and while choice isn't a bad thing per se, it can be overwhelming. Endless choices can also make it tough to revisit games. In years past, I've often returned to the site of earlier MMO disappointments and been pleasantly surprised by the gameplay experiences to be had after a bit of post-launch seasoning. These days, if an MMO doesn't hook me at launch (or before), that's usually all she wrote unless I've got a pre-existing attachment to the IP. What about you, Massively folk? For this morning's Daily Grind, tell us about your forgiving streak when it comes to MMORPGs. Do you check in on games that didn't meet your expectations in the past? How many chances does a game get to hook 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!The Daily Grind: How many chances does a game get to hook you? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Chosen enters closed beta and prepares for release Posted: 22 Jun 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Launches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play The Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history has become a popular backdrop for MMOs of late (not surprising, considering the growth of the Chinese MMO market). Snail Games' The Chosen is the most recent entry in the particular sub-genre, with the game having just begun its closed beta process. The beta promises to be a fairly short one, however -- the game is due for an official launch on July 5th, allowing everyone to explore the game's open skill system and factional warfare. To help kick off the beta, the team behind the game has released both a brand-new trailer for prospective players and a series of screenshots and concept art. While the historical period has become a popular setting, The Chosen is taking a looser approach to the setting and mixing in a greater dose of mythology, which might be just the thing to hook certain players. Continue reading The Chosen enters closed beta and prepares for release The Chosen enters closed beta and prepares for release originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Rumour: Leaked document shows CCP's microtransaction plans Posted: 22 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, MMO industry, News items In the wake of controversy surrounding EVE Online's new microtransaction store and its not-so-micro prices, a document has surfaced that has raised more than a few eyebrows in the EVE community. The PDF is reported to be a copy of CCP's internal company newsletter Fearless. Ex-CCP employee and current CSM member Seleene was able to verify that the company does circulate an internal newsletter by that name and that the style is very similar to the leaked document. However, the absolute authenticity of the document can not at this time be proven. The document dates back to May 2011 and discusses how microtransactions will be integrated into EVE Online, DUST 514 and World of Darkness. Most of the document is fairly harmless, but a few parts have stood out to players. According to the document, "Not all virtual purchases [in EVE Online] will focus on customization: some will simply be new items, ammunition, ships, etc. that can be purchased outright." Also mentioned is the possibility of buying faction standings. Both of these would be in complete contrast to earlier promises from CCP not to allow microtransactions that influence gameplay. Authenticity of the document is still in question, but we can reveal that the leaked PDF has had several pages removed before being made public. A link to the full version was later leaked on twitter. Page 2 of the document, which was omitted in the originally leaked file, contains a disclaimer stating that the views presented are personal opinions and not company policies or decisions. This adds further confusion as players attempt to make sense of the file's contents. We reached out to CCP to ask about the document's authenticity and to request clarification on the discussions presented in it. We'll update this post with any response we get. Rumour: Leaked document shows CCP's microtransaction plans originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Free for All: What does action-based gaming mean for the future? Posted: 22 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Video, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, Humor, Free for All, Vindictus, Dragon Nest If you've been following recent game development, you will have noticed that action-based gaming, or gaming that requires a player to literally control the character on the screen through mouse-clicks or shortcuts, has become all the rage. It shouldn't be surprising, though, considering how incredibly fun it can be to click the mouse button and have the character on the screen smash his enemies. I've fallen in love with it myself, especially while playing games like Vindictus or Dungeons and Dragons Online. After so many years or pushing 1-2-3-4 in order to kill mobs, truly swinging an axe feels wonderful. More and more games use this immediate-response style of play. Up-and-coming side-scrollers like Rusty Hearts or recent smashers like Dragon Nest are showing that action-based gaming is growing stronger all the time. I've even begun to feel slightly let down when I switch to a "classically controlled" MMO. Targeting a mob followed by pressing a series of number keys just does not satisfy like slamming your enemy through a bookcase. (Watch the video after the cut for some of my bookcase action!) But what could all of this action mean for future design? And what about disabled players or players who have issues with wrist pain (like I do)? Click past the cut and let's discuss! Continue reading Free for All: What does action-based gaming mean for the future? Free for All: What does action-based gaming mean for the future? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| RIFT launches patch 1.3, but don't bank on it Posted: 22 Jun 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, RIFT After a great deal of anticipation and previewing, the latest patch for RIFT is finally on the live servers. Patch 1.3 brings with it a variety of improvements, including character transfers, a new raid, new world events, and of course the usual round of balance and general improvements. But there's a feature conspicuously missing from the whole affair, forecasted by the fact that the official patch notes simply say that more details on guild banks will be available when they are released. Yes, it looks like the patch was getting just a little too big for its britches -- guild banks were found to have a couple of lingering issues and thus have been held back from the release. There's no specific timetable on when the feature will be implemented, as the announcement states mostly that the team didn't want to hold back the entire update for one feature. RIFT players might be a little miffed at the loss, but there is a full patch to explore anyhow, for however much that helps ameliorate the temporary loss. [Thanks to Paul for the tip!] RIFT launches patch 1.3, but don't bank on it originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Champions Online's weekly comic series continues in Bad Dreams Are Made of This Posted: 22 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, News items, Free-to-play, Champions Online  In the last issue of Champions Online's weekly Aftershock comic series, A Long, Long Way From Home, our heroes found themselves in far deeper danger than they had expected. Operation Demonflame veteran and UNTIL soldier Sergeant Jim Collins had been manipulated by Despair Incarnate, a champion of the cosmic horrors known as the Kings of Edom. Though our heroes were able to contend with the Kings' champion, they were too late to prevent it from teleporting the entire fortress into the chaotic Qliphothic realm. Our heroes managed to save the few surviving UNTIL soldiers, but still they remain in this demented, dangerous dimension. Why were they brought here? Will they ever escape? The story continues in this week's issue of Aftershock, titled Bad Dreams Are Made of This (someone at Cryptic is a Eurythmics fan), which sees our heroes taking shelter in a strange cave in the Qliphothic realm. But all is not well, as the recently rescued UNTIL troops have once again fallen captive to the eldritch Horrors of the dimension. Now our heroes must give chase through twisting caverns that descend ever-deeper into the Qliphothic realm in order to save the UNTIL soldiers and find a way back home. Champions Online's weekly comic series continues in Bad Dreams Are Made of This originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Choose My Adventure: Marching off to WAR Posted: 22 Jun 2011 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Polls, Classes, Game mechanics, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Races, Choose My Adventure The readers have spoken! More specifically, the fans of Warhammer Online have spoken, and so the game is my destination for the next several weeks. And what a surprising speech it was, especially given that I, my editor, and my co-workers all assumed that with RIFT on the ballot we might as well just close up the voting after half a day. But the forum thread on the official boards kept people coming over and voting, and thus I'm heading over into the world of Order and Chaos. I'm glad to see Warhammer Online as the selection, as it's long been a game and setting that I've found interesting even though it's never quite made it on my list of things to play next. The game has certainly seen its fair share of hardship over the past several years, so it's going to be interesting to take a look at the game as it exists now. So click on past the break to start me down the path that leads me into the game and check out my usual disconnected ramblings. Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Marching off to WAR Choose My Adventure: Marching off to WAR originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| City of Heroes producer's letter talks Freedom Posted: 22 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Business models, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries In case you've been living under a Paragon City-sized rock over the past couple of days, it's worth repeating that City of Heroes is gearing up to add a boatload of new freemium options with its Freedom update. Today's producer's letter addresses the watershed news and also gives a glimpse behind the curtain at the balancing act achieved by Paragon Studios developers while simultaneously working on Issues 19 - 21 (and supporting Issue 18). While some players no doubt see the onset of a freemium business model as an indication that a game's best days are behind it, Paragon's planned path forward for content creation seems to suggest otherwise. What are some of these new content nuggets? " An all-new tutorial will introduce new players to Paragon City and the Rogue Isles like never before, and lets heroes and villains choose their archetype independently of their alignment," says the letter. Additionally, players can expect an Atlas Park makeover as well as new mission content in both Atlas Park and Mercy Island. New zones are in the works too, as are new costumes, powers, characters, and villains. In short, there's rarely been a better time to be a City of Heroes fan, so head to the official website to read all about it. City of Heroes producer's letter talks Freedom originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| 'We hear you loud and clear': CCP clarifies third-party application licensing fees Posted: 22 Jun 2011 02:30 PM PDT |
| One Shots: Shh, it's starting! Posted: 22 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, One Shots, Final Fantasy XIV Eliot is our One Shots star today as staff pick week continues, and he's got a gorgeous nighttime shot from Final Fantasy XIV: This is from a fairly large roleplaying event that took place on the Besaid server in Final Fantasy XIV. The event was a large community sharing of stories, with each speaker getting up in turn and sharing a tale. It was a really nice event all around and a great chance to meet more people on the server. Keep your eyes on One Shots all week to see what the Massively staff loves playing and showing off. Next week's theme is all about gear. It'll be your chance to show off your most epic armor and weapons and tell us all about how you acquired them. The week after that is pet week, and we can't wait to see your awesome pet companions and hear all about them. Just send a screenshot to oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a paragraph or two telling us about what we're seeing! One Shots: Shh, it's starting! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| BioWare setting up public TOR demo outside San Diego Comic-Con Posted: 22 Jun 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic Star Wars: The Old Republic community coordinator David Bass unleashed a pleasant surprise on unsuspecting BioWare fans earlier today. In a post on the official TOR forums, Bass told of a playable demo at the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con. Big deal, I don't have a Comic-Con badge, we hear a few of you saying. Well, take heart. BioWare also recently announced that Mass Effect 3 (as well as downloadable content from Dragon Age II) would be playable at a hotel across the street from the con, and Bass says that The Old Republic will be there as well. " Anyone (yes even you!) can come to the Hilton and wait in line to play any of the BioWare games," Bass wrote. You'd better get there early, though, and plan on packing your patience as well as a slew of your favorite portable Star Wars games to pass the time. BioWare setting up public TOR demo outside San Diego Comic-Con originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Enter at Your Own Rift: Talking 1.3 with Hal Hanlin Posted: 22 Jun 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, Patches, Previews, RIFT, Enter at Your Own Rift Today we're on the verge of RIFT's third major update's going live. It's a doozy of a patch, too, with a little something for everyone: a raid for endgame players, guild banks for... well, guilds, character transfers for the antsy, and RIFT's second world event for one and all. With Patch 1.3, Trion Worlds puts its money where its mouth is by continuing with its streak of sizable, regular updates. It's a critical patch for some, as it seeks to answer the growing call for more endgame content while an increasing number of players hit 50. Fans of RIFT will most likely welcome the spread of the patch, but detractors will undoubtedly criticize why X was done instead of Y (and don't even get into Z; that letter is nothing but trouble). And above the noise, Trion sails on with apparent confidence and dedication. Even though we got to speak with Trion at E3, I got the opportunity for another pre-1.3 interview with Design Producer Hal Hanlin (which, by the way, is a superhero fake identity if I ever heard one). In this no-holds-barred discussion, we covered the selling points of 1.3, the accusation that RIFT is "dying," and the philosophy behind Trion's rapid stream of content. Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Talking 1.3 with Hal Hanlin Enter at Your Own Rift: Talking 1.3 with Hal Hanlin originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Leaked memo says Pottermore is an online game Posted: 22 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Rumors We've been on mystical pins and needles for the past week as the countdown continues to tomorrow's full reveal of Pottermore, a mysterious website bearing J.K. Rowling's name. The Atlantic reports that a leaked memo making the rounds spells out the truth: Pottermore will be an online game of sorts. The memo "suggests that [Pottermore.com] is a sophisticated online game that contains clues to prizes that are hidden in the real world. These are an unstated number of magic wands secreted in Britain and America, and possibly other countries." This sounds more like an ARG -- alternate reality game -- than an MMO, although we're not prepared to rule out the possibility until all is said and revealed. The article mentions that this could be a marketing tool tied into Pottermore instead of Pottermore proper. Fans who'd love to see a Harry Potter MMO still have hope that this could be the real deal, but we won't know for sure until tomorrow's announcement. Leaked memo says Pottermore is an online game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Freedom Posted: 22 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Business models, Expansions, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter I know, I promised you all Stalkers today. But in case you haven't noticed, something sort of trumped the last archetype under discussion. Something like City of Heroes making one of the biggest announcements in the history of the game. And the weirdest part is, I'm writing this before most of the world knows about it, after being on the phone with Paragon Studios and talking about all of the cool stuff that's coming along with City of Heroes Freedom. Working in game journalism means knowing about what's coming up before other people much of the time. I knew that there was something big en route when I sat down on the call, but honestly I had expected another expansion pack. And that's really what we're getting here, albeit not quite in the format that most players would expect. This is another major expansion to the game, one that will open up the playerbase as well as offering new content to existing players. So this is one of those times when it's almost difficult to sit down and focus clearly enough to write about what's coming, just because the net effects are so far-reaching. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Freedom A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Freedom originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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