MMO Updates

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• The Anvil of Crom: Musings on MMO mortality
• Global Chat: Broke and richer for it edition
• The Daily Grind: What grosses you out in MMOs?
• ArcheAge novel penned by popular Korean fantasy author
• EON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion
• One Shots: Original gangsters
• The Tattered Notebook: Mercenary or player, which would you choose?

The Anvil of Crom: Musings on MMO mortality Posted: 24 Jul 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Anvil of Crom Most of you are probably aware that Star Wars Galaxies announced its impending closure recently. As I booted up Age of Conan for my daily faction runs and tossed around some ideas for this week's column, I couldn't help but return to the fact that the MMO space is going to be that much dumber on December 16th. What does SWG have to do with The Anvil of Crom? Admittedly not much, unless you count the fact that AoC was the first of many games I migrated to when taking extended breaks from SWG beginning in 2008. The game's demise did get me to thinking on MMOs as a whole though, and of course Funcom's fantasy title in particular. While it may seem like an obvious conclusion in some respects, the fact that MMO players are ultimately no more than renters living on borrowed time was a sobering thought. Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Musings on MMO mortality The Anvil of Crom: Musings on MMO mortality originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Global Chat: Broke and richer for it edition Posted: 24 Jul 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Economy, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Global Chat, Miscellaneous Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat! This week we're looking at all things money: Who has it, who doesn't, and why it makes the world go 'round. Naturally, Massively writers are richer than seven kings of Arabia combined and aren't concerned with such petty matters, but it seems to weigh heavily upon some of your heads. Hit the jump and let's see what the buzz was like in the comments section this past week! Continue reading Global Chat: Broke and richer for it edition Global Chat: Broke and richer for it edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What grosses you out in MMOs? Posted: 24 Jul 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Most of us have squick lines in life that totally gross us out. Whether it be changing a dirty diaper, watching someone pick their nose, or hearing someone attempt to parody Rebecca Black's music, there's always something that can make us go "EWW!" and flap our hands around like grounded birds in distress. But what about MMOs? Is there anything in them that can actually gross us out? I'm willing to bet there is, considering that I've seen a few things that have given me the willies over the years. The biggest gross-out for me are decaying corpses that are detailed in ways I wish they were not. The above picture grosses me out, and that's just a dead cow in Lord of the Rings Online. So what grosses you out in MMOs? Is it the squashing of bugs, the terrible fashion sense on display, or something else entirely? 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: What grosses you out in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

ArcheAge novel penned by popular Korean fantasy author Posted: 23 Jul 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items, ArcheAge MMO novelizations are pretty common nowadays, what with everything from EVE Online to Guild Wars represented in extra-game lore-centric endeavors. ArcheAge is looking to join the hit parade with its first tie-in novel, a fantasy romp called The Fir and the Hawk that fleshes out the upcoming sandpark's extensive backstory. When we say extensive, we really mean extensive, as the book chronicles ArcheAge history some 2,000 years prior to the game's timeline. The novel is the work of popular Korean fantasy author Min-Hee Jeon, and fansite ArcheAge Online calls it "ArcheAge's first official tome of lore." The Fir and the Hawk isn't yet available in the States, but Korean-language fans can pre-order it via the Aladin service. [Thanks to Mark for the tip!] ArcheAge novel penned by popular Korean fantasy author originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion Posted: 23 Jul 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Lore, MMO industry, Opinion, Hands-on Issue 24 of EVE Online's quarterly official magazine EON hit the shelves this month, bringing a fresh dose of internet spaceships to coffee tables and bathrooms everywhere. Produced by MMM Publishing and written by a growing cast of writers from within the EVE community, EON provides something solid for fans of EVE to hold on to and acts as a snapshot in time or record of the game as it evolves. Recent big news stories and nullsec wars are detailed in each issue, along with editorial pieces, fiction, interviews and guides. The latest issue is a wormhole special, with a huge focus on 2009's incredibly successful Apocrypha expansion and the hidden wormhole systems it brought to EVE. In addition to the second part of Pottsey's background on the ancient Sleeper race locked away in wormhole systems, the magazine contains testflights of the four strategic cruisers produced from materials discovered in wormhole space. A fantastically insightful article on the making of Apocrypha also delves into the gritty details of how CCP put its entire weight behind one incredible expansion during a time of real world economic turmoil. Skip past the cut for a breakdown of everything in EON Issue 24 and my impressions from reading through it. Continue reading EON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion EON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

One Shots: Original gangsters Posted: 23 Jul 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Star Wars Galaxies, One Shots Star Wars Galaxies may be going away at the end of the year, but for many of us it will resonate for far longer. One of a thousand seminal moments is captured above courtesy of an action shot inside a Naboo cantina. Naboo was a roleplaying hotspot circa 2004, particularly on the Starsider server where regular events and spontaneous fun could be found at the player cities in Vagabond's Rest, Rauha, Thornhaven, and all points in between. These particular gents are demonstrating their displeasure at a spice deal gone wrong, as well as sporting some old-school weaponry in the form of a laser rifle and two early pistol favorites (the FWG-5 and DX-2). All this week, Massively writers are spotlighting some of our personal favorite One Shots. What exciting stories revolve around our screenshots? Stay tuned to find out. Next week, after staff picks week, will be free-for-all week for you, our readers. Send any eye-catching, beautiful, scary, or generally epic screenshot to oneshots@massively.com, and we'll pick the best of the best for next week's One Shots! Gallery: One Shots: 2011 One Shots: Original gangsters originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Tattered Notebook: Mercenary or player, which would you choose? Posted: 23 Jul 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, The Tattered Notebook If you're an EverQuest II fan, the one big takeaway out of SOE's Fan Faire is that the team is focused on addressing those long-time demands that players have been patiently hoping for. That's why we'll have Beastlords, a class that was so taboo you couldn't even post the name on the official forums. And it's why we're seeing an item revamp that now includes all items from levels 20-90. So you'd think that players would rejoice when they heard the news of mercenaries, an in-game feature designed to make it easier for players to make and fill a viable group, or get things done that they couldn't do alone. The response so far, though, has been the equivalent of a needle being dragged across an LP record at a dance party. Why the tepid response? In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll look at why these swords for hire are causing so much trouble. Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Mercenary or player, which would you choose? The Tattered Notebook: Mercenary or player, which would you choose? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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MMORPG News

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• Vindictus: Episode 8, Part 2 "Unveiling the Truth" to Launch in August
• Rusty Hearts: Dev Diary Reveals PvP System
• Prime Battle for Dominus: Stream #2 - Environment Preview/Guild Info
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Story of the Week: Star Wars Makes Some Moves
• General: Community Spotlight: Crafting Becomes Personal

Vindictus: Episode 8, Part 2 "Unveiling the Truth" to Launch in August Posted: 23 Jul 2011 11:34 AM PDT The Vindictus team is pleased to announce that the next episode for the game; episode 8 part 2, "Unveiling the Truth", will be launching on August 3rd.

Rusty Hearts: Dev Diary Reveals PvP System Posted: 23 Jul 2011 11:27 AM PDT A new developer diary over at Perfect World's official YouTube channel unveils the details of the game's PvP system. What does Rusty Hearts have up its sleeve for PvP? Check out the video and find out!

Prime Battle for Dominus: Stream #2 - Environment Preview/Guild Info Posted: 23 Jul 2011 11:21 AM PDT The team at Pitchblack Games has released another web stream and it's available for all to see over at YouTube. In this installment, Warren Weems and John Kennison tackle a preview of the game's lush environments and gives us a little information about guilds and how they'll be handled in the game.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Story of the Week: Star Wars Makes Some Moves Posted: 23 Jul 2011 09:16 AM PDT The Story of the Week may be a no-brainer, but that doesn't stop Bill Murphy from chatting about it and recapping the events. Star Wars: The Old Republic has its pre-order all lined up and ready for fanatical consumption, and it's definitely generating some buzz.

General: Community Spotlight: Crafting Becomes Personal Posted: 23 Jul 2011 08:53 AM PDT In this week's Community Spotlight, Mike Bitton shines the light on a thread started by Disatisfied9. In the hot topic of discussion folks weigh in on whether players can set themselves apart through crafting in an MMO.

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MMOGaming News

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RIFT 1.4 PTS New Mage Set - Virtuoso's Raiment Posted: New set for PvP in PTS RIFT 1.4

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MMO News

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• Vindictus Episode 8 Part 2 announced
• Jade Dynasty launches Imperial City update
• Age of Battles released for MapleStory

Vindictus Episode 8 Part 2 announced Posted: 22 Jul 2011 07:14 PM PDT The second part of Vindictus’ Episode 8 will be added to the game on August 3. The update will expand the quest line introduced in Episode 8 with another quest. Also new in the update will be a new dungeon, Ainle Catacombs, and two new raid bosses, the Succubus and Glas Ghaibhleann. Vindictus is published by Nexon, which also publishes Combat Arms and Atlantica Online. Vindictus Gameplay Screenshot Source: The epic conclusion of the rebellion at Ortel castle arrives August 3rd with the Episode 8, part 2 content update for Vindictus. Players should be excited to know that a new quest, a new dungeon and two deadly raid bosses are just over the horizon. After the tragic close to the rebellion, things seem to be getting back to normal at Ortel Castle. Keaghan, the childhood friend of many of the Mercenaries and now a high ranking commander in the Royal Army, stills feels as though something is amiss and continues investigating. Throughout the castle, it seems as though the other commanding officers are trying to hide a dark secret from Keaghan. It is up to the mercenaries to help Keaghan uncover the truth and find the true motive behind the rebellion. New Dungeon: Ainle Catacombs The upcoming content update allows players to explore the dark depths of the Ainle Catacombs in search of answers. What deadly challenges lay in wait for our mercenaries? New Raid Bosses The beautiful yet deadly Succubus will soon make her debut in the world of Vindictus. Strength alone might not be enough to prevail this time – players will need strong willpower to resist the temptations of this beautiful mistress. Lock away your hearts for this seductress will find a way to take it and use it against you. A new threat of an entirely different variety also awaits players. All the pain and suffering that players have experienced up until now is nothing compared to the horrors that the demonic colossal Glas Ghaibhleann has endured. Now that he will be released from his prison, nothing will keep Glas from taking his vengeance. For more details and to learn more about the latest events in Vindictus visit: www.vindictus.com.

Jade Dynasty launches Imperial City update Posted: 22 Jul 2011 06:09 PM PDT Jade Dynasty has revamped the Imperial City in its latest update, now live on game servers. The update redesigns the Imperial Citadel by changing it into a PvE map for the Vitalized Ascended. Players can go here and complete the Imperial Tests to earn Chroma Beads – useful as a new level of Chroma is now obtainable. Each test can be tried multiple times per day. A new monster-wave dungeon, the Shura Gauntlet, a new Tanis Ka daily, and a new freebie event are also introduced, letting players earn new rewards. The JD Mart has also changed to allow players to bid up to 500 times (up from 3), and see what other players have bid on. Jade Dynasty is published by Perfect World Entertainment, which also publishes Perfect World International and Forsaken World. Jade Dynasty Gameplay Screenshot Source: The content update you’ve all been waiting for is now LIVE!  With it comes many great additions to the world of Jade Dynasty. Revamped Imperial Citadel Gain Chroma Beads by completing various quests in the Imperial Citadel given on the scrolls from the Jade Exchange Maiden. New Dungeon: Shura Gauntlet Bring a party of your most powerful friends and take on the challenges the Shura Gauntlet has to offer.  Gain increasingly better rewards from the various faction representatives that watch on as you fight waves upon waves of enemies. New Freebie Quest Each day from 19:30-20:00, simply stay logged on, have a few free bag slots, and you’ll receive free prizes!  This will occur every 10 minutes within this time period, so you’ll have a chance at winning three times a day!  Here are a list of possible prizes: -30 Taichi Pills (+EXP) -1 Meditation Orb (double EXP on monster kills) -100 Affinity Beads (+Affinity points) -20 Chroma Beads (+Chroma points) -1 Ancient Coin (trade in to the Tree of Wealth for Dragon Muscles/Skyline Pearls/Jasper Money) New Tanis Ka Daily – Gift From Heaven Each day, you can get 3 Wary Trinkets from Tanis Ka, and using his charm (Tanis Ka’s Charm under Functional in Marketplace), you can open one with the chance to win some awesome prizes. With some awesome prizes in store, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of this quest! Improved JD-Mart Tired of being limited to only 3 bids?  With our imprioved JD-Mart, you can now bid up to 500 times!  In addition to this, you’ll also be able to make more informed bidding choices by seeing what others have chosen. Some additions to the Bonus Shop We have three new fashion sets added to the Bonus Shop: 7-day Phoenix and Dragon fashion sets as well as the female Overseer fashion set! Gain Increased Chroma Power This update brings players the ability to gain an additional level of Chroma! We hope you enjoy all that The Imperial Citadel Content update brings!

Age of Battles released for MapleStory Posted: 22 Jul 2011 05:57 PM PDT MapleStory has released the third of the Chaos updates this week – Age of Battle. Age of Battle introduces organized PvP into the game in the new Battle Square zone. Players can enter ranked free-for-all or Team Match (3-6 player teams). Ranking is based on character levels: Rookie (30-69, second jobs only), Gladiator (70-119, third jobs only), Veteran (120-179, all jobs), and Legend (180+, all jobs). These battles will let players earn experience and battle points, currency exchanged for Gallant Emblems, which are in turn exchanged for unique PvP items. MapleStory is published by Nexon, which also publishes Mabinogi and Dungeon Fighter Online. MapleStory Age of Battle Screenshots: Source: Sound the Battle Hymn! Nexon brings much anticipated PVP mode to MapleStory with Age of Battle This summer Maple World has been thrown for a loop with Chaos, a series of massive content updates that has added a whole new flavor to MapleStory. This week MapleStory ushers in the Age of Battle, an update that introduces players to the highly anticipated PVP battle mode. Age of Battle will give players a chance to face off head to head in multifaceted, no-holds-barred competition. Players will be able to earn EXP as well as Battle points, which can be exchanged for Gallant Emblems. These Gallant Emblems can be taken to the new Battle Square zone to purchase unique items that can be used in during PVP battle. MapleStory's PVP mode will be split up into game types: Free-for-All and Team Match. During free-for-all matches, up to eight players will be tossed into a chaotic battle where everyone battles each other for supremacy. Team Match will pit two teams of three to six players against each other wherein strategy and communication will prove crucial to victory. Players looking to beat the competition will be able to participate in the various PVP mode leagues, which are ranked based on players' character levels. Players level 30 and above will fall under the rookie league; Gladiators level 70 and above will battle each other; level 120 characters and above will participate in the Veteran league, and characters level 180 and above will battle each other in the Legend League. Veteran and Legend League fighters will be permitted to use all of their skills while Rookie and Gladiator players can employ their 2nd jobs and 3rd jobs respectively. While Age of Heroes is already the third content patch to hit this summer, there is still plenty more in store for Chaos. Players can expect to find out more information about upcoming content additions in the next few weeks. MapleStory is available to download and play for free at http://maplestory.nexon.net. To learn more about MapleStory, visit http://facebook.com/maplestory.

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