MMO Updates |
- SWTOR has fun storming the castle
- Massively Exclusive: TERA shows off two new BAMs
- Wasteland Diaries: Coming soon
- NCsoft announces San Diego Comic-Con events and schedule
- Hellgate open beta to begin June 30th [Updated]
- The Daily Grind: Do you prefer digital copies or boxed copies of games?
- Black Prophecy heads into the Inferno with Episode 1
- The MMO Report: What's with the creepy guy edition
- The Guild Counsel: The Syndicate's Sean Stalzer talks guild management
- Captain's Log: The lower decks
- Anarchy Online celebrates 10 years this weekend
- TERA E3 recap video explains political system
- Second Life's CEO Rod Humble talks anniversaries
- Pottermore officially announced, but what exactly is it?
- Star Wars Galaxies ages eight years gracefully
- One Shots: No, seriously. Wrecking face!
- DDO and LotRO prep bonus weekends for all
- Ask Massively: Let me show you pictures of my cat edition
- Mike 'Gabe' Krahulik speaks his mind about SWTOR
- Behind the Mask: The incentives are backwards
- Aion hosting bonus AP and rifting event
| SWTOR has fun storming the castle Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic  BioWare Director of Production Dallas Dickinson introduces us to one of the world arcs for SWTOR that requires a group to complete. This is not a single-player instance to which you can decide to bring your friends along if you want nor is it a Flashpoint. This quest can be picked up while you're on Alderaan and be completed as you explore the world. If you have been keeping up with the trailers coming from the BioWare camp, you might notice that the animation and texturing continue to improve, particularly in-combat animations and facial expressions. Take a look at this two-and-a-half-minute teaser after the break and let us know what you think. Continue reading SWTOR has fun storming the castle
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| Massively Exclusive: TERA shows off two new BAMs Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA  First up is our friend the wendigo, and what a clever, inventive, and unabashedly large friend he is. Despite being a BAM, the wendigo is known for his nuance, particularly when it comes to his unique vocalization techniques. Next we have the ice giant, and as his name implies, he's also quite massive. Unlike the wendigo, ice giants are about as lacking in subtlety as it's possible to be, and most examples of the species spend their days plotting the return of their glory days while trampling unwary adventurers who stray too close their domains. Read up on both new BAMs and check out the exclusive screens after the break. Continue reading Massively Exclusive: TERA shows off two new BAMs
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| Wasteland Diaries: Coming soon Posted: 24 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Real life, Fallen Earth, Business models, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic  There are still many players asking questions in global chat and on the forums that have been answered already. A few of the answers given have left me scratching my head, but I'm still optimistic at this point. But there's still a lot of confusion within the community about what is coming and when. I've dug up many of the responses to the toughest questions by Marie Croall of Fallen Earth and Joe Willmon of GamersFirst, who are holding their cards close to their chests but have nevertheless given up some good info. After the cut, I'll try to clarify what's going on in the short and long term, but it may result in some speculation on both our parts. Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Coming soon
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| NCsoft announces San Diego Comic-Con events and schedule Posted: 24 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: City of Heroes, City of Villains, Guild Wars, Events, real-world, News items, Guild Wars 2  If you're planning to attend the San Diego Comic-Con next month, and if you happen to be a fan of Guild Wars or City of Heroes, then NCsoft wants you to swing by its booth while you're in the neighborhood. Attendees will be able "to meet artists and developers from City of Heroes Freedom and Guild Wars 2." NCsoft will be giving the latest news on City of Heroes' recently announced free-to-play transition as well as giving fans the opportunity to take Guild Wars 2's Engineer class for a spin. In addition to all of that, City of Heroes' Desdemona will be making appearances at the booth while City of Heroes comic artist David "Noble Savage" Nakayama whips up free illustrations of selected CoH players' characters. The artists of Guild Wars 2 will also be present to sign limited-edition postcard art books. But of course the party doesn't stop at the convention; NCsoft's Fan Meet & Greet takes place Friday the 22nd. Fans will have to check the NCsoft schedule for details on how to acquire tickets as it is a ticketed event, but those fortunate enough to attend will have the privilege of rubbing elbows with CoH and GW2 developers and artists. And of course, fans will be afforded the opportunity to go hands-on with City of Heroes Freedom and Guild Wars 2. For more information, check out the official announcement and NCsoft's Comic-Con schedule.
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| Hellgate open beta to begin June 30th [Updated] Posted: 24 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Hellgate: London, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic  Hellgate's closed beta has been going on since the beginning of this month, but now it's almost time to kick open the doors and blast some monsters in open beta. T3FUN announced today that the freshly rebooted Hellgate will be entering open beta in six days on June 30th. Strap up your armor and choose your weapons and get ready to jump into the seedy supernatural underbelly of the world of Hellgate. Just make sure you come prepared by checking out our previous coverage of the game! [Update: The official announcement has been released, and it contains news of a few new features for the game. Duel Areas will be included for players who wish to take part in some team-based PvP combat, while those with a PvE inclination can test their mettle with the Cow Room (surely an homage to Diablo II's infamous Cow Level), where players face off against wave after wave of zombies in hopes of netting some rare loot. For the full press release, hit the official site.]
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| The Daily Grind: Do you prefer digital copies or boxed copies of games? Posted: 24 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  Of course, if you're used to having a hard copy on hand, it might not even be an issue of whether or not it's worth buying a boxed copy. You want a game, you go out and buy it. So when you have the option, do you head out to the mall and pick up a boxed copy to have a physical representation of the game? Or do you just download and not fuss about with what amounts to sentimental clutter?  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!
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| Black Prophecy heads into the Inferno with Episode 1 Posted: 23 Jun 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, Free-to-play, Black Prophecy  In Episode 1, level 15+ players will head to Enzo's Enigmatic Emporium of Exotic Elegance (say that three times fast) to tackle a set of new missions. Black Prophecy is also adding an interesting progression obstacle in the form of bound sectors. To get to the next sector -- and next hub -- groups of players will have to duke it out with fairly tough enemies guarding the passageways. Episode 1 will also include a better message system, in-game email, new jobs, additional missions, and a change in PvP rewards. Black Prophecy's first update is slated for an early July release. To help you during this nail-biting waiting period, why not help yourself to a complimentary screenshot below?
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| The MMO Report: What's with the creepy guy edition Posted: 23 Jun 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Video, MMO industry, News items, The MMO Report  In this edition of the MMO Report, Casey Schreiner's epic beard is upstaged by the creepy guy kissing his desk. The desk is gorgeous, but I don't think the make-out session was consensual. No means no, creepy guy. As for MMO news, Casey is back from E3, and a bunch of games go free-to-play. There has to be a connection between those two events. Also, Casey cannot help but correlate the patch in his favorite bum-hugging jeans with the patches in RIFT and World of Warcraft. Understandably so, they both keep water rifts at bay, and at the same time, quench fiery lands. Lastly, the MMO Report shows us that the pen is mightier than even the laser sword, as Casey introduces us to last Friday's Star Wars: The Old Republic dev blog and displays the latest fan-created memes. Catch the full MMO Report after the break, and maybe you can tell us why that guy felt the need to profess his love for furniture at that moment. Continue reading The MMO Report: What's with the creepy guy edition
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| The Guild Counsel: The Syndicate's Sean Stalzer talks guild management Posted: 23 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Guilds, Interviews, Massively meta, Massively Interviews, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous  This week, Sean discusses the other major focus of his book: guild management. In part two of our interview, he talks about the keys to running a longtime, successful guild. He also discusses how guild management has changed over the years and how his guild has evolved and grown to become drama-free. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: The Syndicate's Sean Stalzer talks guild management
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| Captain's Log: The lower decks Posted: 23 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Expansions, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log  Spock, Riker, Kira, Worf, Chakotay, and T'Pol. What do they all have in common? They are the notable men and women who served under their Captains as First Officer. Joret, Sito, Alyssa, Taurik, Sam and Geniveve. What do they all have in common? No one knows who the heck they are. In the world of Star Trek, these "unknowns" are the members of the lower decks, people whose work goes unnoticed, whose accomplishments are unacknowledged, and who are often killed off at the end of the episode when you finally do get to know them. While the ships in Star Trek Online currently seem to be manned only by the Captain, his or her Bridge Officers (BOff), and some random crewmen walking around the ship, this is about to change. In the next couple months, get ready to welcome new members to your ship's lower decks. The Duty Officer (DOff) system will be adding a new form of gameplay to STO and give players even more ways to level characters and become immersed in the universe surrounding them. While there are a ton of random pieces of information about it floating out there, I think that Captain's Log is the perfect place to put it all together and give you a more concise picture of how it will work. Ensign, warp 10! It's time to attend your new favorite class, DOffs 101... Continue reading Captain's Log: The lower decks
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| Anarchy Online celebrates 10 years this weekend Posted: 23 Jun 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Anarchy Online, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play  Funcom has issued a press release that's heavy on the innovative aspects of the world's first sci-fi MMORPG. "Instancing, massive player vs. player combat, digital download of games, in-game advertisement, virtual world radio, concerts, virtual items, and freemium business models" are just a few of the initiatives that showed up early in Anarchy Online. The release also serves to accentuate how much has changed since the game's genesis, as it notes that AO's original 1995 design document questioned the future viability of the internet and hoped for 2,500 subscribers. No 10-year anniversary would be complete without a respectable bash, and Funcom's release also outlines the festivities coming your way in the form of events and new content. The party (jointly produced by Funcom and Gridstream Productions) starts tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. EDT and will continue into the weekend. Even if you're not up for virtual dancing, you'll want to check it out for a new birthday raid, new vehicles, clothing, gear, action figures, and pets. Head to the official website to learn more.
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| TERA E3 recap video explains political system Posted: 23 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA  The clip also devotes a good portion of its running time to the recently announced political system, and producers Chris Hager and Stefan Ramirez fire off some pretty tantalizing soundbytes relating to player interaction and the possibility of affecting the game world. "That means getting votes, buying votes, smearing your opponent, taking out your competition, raising taxes, making tons of cash money, controlling your province, putting players in prison, running your own events, managing your own towns, and just doing whatever you want," Ramirez says. Staying in power to continue doing whatever you want is the trick, of course, and the video spends a good amount of time detailing ways to maintain control over your province. While it all sounds pretty spectacular, it also raises plenty of questions (like, how is all of that going to matter in an MMO that lacks serious consequences in terms of a death penalty or gear/stat loss?). Whatever the answers, we can't wait to learn more. Check out the full video after the cut. Continue reading TERA E3 recap video explains political system
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| Second Life's CEO Rod Humble talks anniversaries Posted: 23 Jun 2011 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Video, Interviews, Second Life, Free-to-play, Virtual worlds, Massively Interviews  Well, we called out the big guns and sat down with Rod Humble, CEO of Linden Lab, the maker of Second Life. He was kind enough to not only do the interview but allow us to embed the audio in the article for you to hear! Don't worry; we've also written up much of what was said, so you can choose to listen, read, or both! Click past the cut and let's get right to the interview with Rod as he talks about success, explaining Second Life and some of the surprises he's met with along the way. Continue reading Second Life's CEO Rod Humble talks anniversaries
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| Pottermore officially announced, but what exactly is it? Posted: 23 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, New titles, News items  Attention mudbloods, muggles, and wizards alike! We reported yesterday on the cryptic Harry Potter-related Pottermore, which -- according to a leaked memo -- was rumored to be an online game. Not but a short while ago, the big reveal took place via an announcement video from J.K. Rowling on YouTube. Is Pottermore really the big Harry Potter MMO that fans have been clamoring for? Well... maybe. Information is still scarce, with the unveiling of Pottermore's true purpose remaining just as cryptic as it has been since the discovery of the website. The new addition to the immensely popular Harry Potter franchise, according to the announcement video, is "the same story with a few crucial additions," the most important of which is you, the reader. Early reports claim that members of the site, which officially launches in October, will be able to join one of the four houses of Hogwarts and become wizards in their own right. Part social networking site, part online game, and all incredibly mysterious, Pottermore is certain to be a monumental addition to the world of Harry Potter. What exactly the experience will entail, however, remains to be seen. Keep a (mad-)eye here for more news as it develops, and apparate past the cut for the official announcement. Continue reading Pottermore officially announced, but what exactly is it?
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| Star Wars Galaxies ages eight years gracefully Posted: 23 Jun 2011 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Events, real-world, Interviews, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Roleplaying  Much like the current Star Wars MMO in development, Star Wars Galaxies had a very active forum community before the game even launched. Many of those who were a part of that original community still play the game. Although I was not an active member of that first community, I certainly read what was happening and was extremely excited when the game launched on June 23rd, 2003. For the first time in history, a player was allowed to create his own character to live in the Star Wars universe. And despite the issues that would come a couple of years later, the community in the game is still strong and active. I logged into my old stomping grounds of Starsider on a character that some people would recognize. Since I am an avid roleplayer and that community is still very active in SWG, I joined one of the chat channels I knew and asked where I could possibly find some RP events for the evening. It was still early, so I was not expecting much. To my surprise, I received an immediate reply. The members of the channel said there were not any events that they were aware of, but I may be able to find some RP in a couple of player-owned cities. One of these cities was the city I used to spend all my time in: Red Sands. I had to see what was going on there after years of being away. I was take aback when I arrived. The leaders of the town had placed an invading force of NPCs about the city and were having a stand-off with the citizens, a scene that appeared to be right out of a western. The story continues after the break. Find out why Star Wars Galaxies is still active after eight years from Pilot Senator Anishor, the developers, and the active players. Continue reading Star Wars Galaxies ages eight years gracefully
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| One Shots: No, seriously. Wrecking face! Posted: 23 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, One Shots, RIFT  Here's a picture of my Warrior Alir gettin' ready to wreck some Endless Court face in Scarlet Gorge! WRECKING. FACE.Keep your eyes on One Shots all week to see what the Massively staff loves playing and showing off. We're closing in on next week's theme, which is all about gear. Break out your most impressive weapon or your flashiest armor, snap a screenshot, and send it in so we can share your awesomeness (it's a word!) with all of Massively! The week after that is pet week, and we can't wait to see your favorite 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!
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| DDO and LotRO prep bonus weekends for all Posted: 23 Jun 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Events, in-game, Free-to-play  DDO is bumping the experience factor up by a respectable 25% across the board and throwing in a +1 loot bonus (meaning better loot in chests) for good measure. It's a great time to come back to the game, too, as players can enjoy the recently released Update 10. Meanwhile, LotRO is encouraging you to farm mobs like crazy, as monster kill XP is going up by 50% (which can stack with the 25% XP trinket from the Rise of Isengard pre-order). Currently, the game is hosting its annual Summer Festival. The four-day bonus weekend for both games runs from today through Sunday, June 26th.
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| Ask Massively: Let me show you pictures of my cat edition Posted: 23 Jun 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous  To be fair, he does look pretty pathetic now. Even if he does resemble a tiny lion. Now that we've lost absolutely everyone but the hardcore Ask Massively readers, we can delve into this week's questions, centering on TERA's political system and the curious grip that free-to-play games can hold upon our wallets. As always, you can mail your own questions along to ask@massively.com or leave them in the comment field to be answered in a future edition of the column. Continue reading Ask Massively: Let me show you pictures of my cat edition
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| Mike 'Gabe' Krahulik speaks his mind about SWTOR Posted: 23 Jun 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic  Sometimes being a celebrity in the gaming world has its perks. Take Mike Krahulik from Penny Arcade, for example. People instantly recognize him, they want his opinion on everything, and he can get in on any beta he wants. All right, that last bit was a stretch, but he did get into game testing for Star Wars: The Old Republic. And after much begging, the marketing team at BioWare gave "Gabe" the chance to publicly sound off about TOR. Guess what? He loved it. Based on a statement he made in the Penny Arcade blog, Krahulik believes that this Star Wars MMO lives up to its expectations, unlike another Star Wars MMO from the past. Specifically, he compares questing in The Old Republic to questing in other MMOs: "Turning the quests into an interactive experience makes me care a lot more about them. A quest is still a chance to get XP, money and loot but it's also an opportunity to advance your character towards the dark or light side based on your decisions. In most MMO's taking quests is what you do so that you can go play. In SW:TOR, taking quests is playing." To catch his full 1200-word write-up on The Old Republic, jump over to the Penny Arcade blog. Find out whether he feels the game is "Star Wars-y" enough and what he thinks of his "shimmering blue glory."
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| Behind the Mask: The incentives are backwards Posted: 23 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-play, Champions Online, Behind the Mask  Instead, I'm going to talk about the broad aspect of teaming in Champions Online, and more importantly, the rewards for teaming. Teaming in CO is as fun as in other MMORPGs because playing with other people is generally a fun activity. Unfortunately, there isn't much material incentive to team. It's faster to get experience and gear solo, making lairs the only real reason to team. I team all the time, though -- entirely because it's more fun to play with friends. Continue reading Behind the Mask: The incentives are backwards
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| Aion hosting bonus AP and rifting event Posted: 23 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, MMO industry, PvP, News items  The latest promotion began yesterday and will run through the server maintenance period on June 29th. For this event, the defensive buffs in Heiron and Beluslan have been removed (but they're still up in Eltnen and Morheim). In other words, if you're looking for high-level rifting action, now's the time. As far as the AP portion of the event goes, you'll earn more and keep more. AP loss from PvP deaths in the Abyss and Silentera Canyon has been cut in half, and monsters in both zones will reward more AP per kill (though NCsoft's website blurb doesn't say exactly how much). In short, now is a great time to check out all the changes courtesy of 2.5, and we'd love to read about your reactions in the comments.
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