MMO News

MMO News


Grand Fantasia launches third server and world PvP

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 04:30 PM PDT

Aeria Games has launched a new, large update for Grand Fantasia today, complete with a brand new third server (with two regular channels and a PvP channel).

The update adds world PvP, where players can earn “PK Club” fame points exchangeable for PvP rewards; a new 2-player dungeon, Nightmare Corridors, featuring over 30 floors; adds a new “Looking for Party” and “Auto Party” in-game function; introduces a new Ultimate System to help players upgrade their stats; and raises the level cap to 85.

Grand Fantasia is published by Aeria Games, which also publishes Eden Eternal and Golden Age.

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Grand Fantasia Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Grand Fantasia Opens New Server and Adds New Content

The Introduction of World Player vs. Player (PvP), Level Cap Raise and Additional Features

Grand Fantasia Opens New Server and Adds New Content

The Introduction of World Player vs. Player (PvP), Level Cap Raise and Additional Features

SANTA CLARA, Calif.  – Aug. 23, 2011 – Aeria Games, a leading global publisher of free-to-play online games, has just opened a new server along with releasing one of the biggest content patches for one of its popular MMORPG's, Grand Fantasia.

The third server includes two regular channels and one PvP channel that will give players the option of starting fresh. With the launch of the new server also comes a massive content patch that introduces World PvP to Grand Fantasia.

New content included in this patch:
·        Introduction of World PvP – Players now have the option to duke it out amongst each other with the introduction of World PvP. Gain exclusive "PK Club" fame points that are redeemable for "PvP rewards."
·        Additional Maps, Dungeons and Instances – Visit the "Nightmare Corridors," a 2-player instanced dungeon with over 30 floors that will keep players on their feet.
·        Level Cap Raise –Players now have the ability to achieve up to level 85 especially with the help of additional dungeons and instances in game.
·        New "Looking for Party" Function – If players had trouble finding partners to complete quests there is now an option to "Auto Party" in-game that will allow players an easier method to team play.
·        New Ultimate System – The new Ultimate System allows players to upgrade their stats with the help of the Guardians of Saphael.

Just like any other Aeria Games title, Grand Fantasia is free to play. For more information regarding Grant Fantasia, please visit http://grandfantasia.aeriagames.com.

Tower-based battles coming to Atlantica Online

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 04:10 PM PDT

The upcoming expansion for Atlantica Online, dubbed “Spelltower Siege,” will reveal a new tower-based battle zone. The update is expected to launch September 7.

The “Spelltower Control” battles take place on the Africa Content, and are available for players on all servers through Titan above level 100. Battles, which will last up to 50 minutes, can feature up to 50 players from each side from multiple servers, each of which may bring one mercenary. A controlling team from a single server will defend against the attacking armies from other servers, whose goal is to destroy and take over the tower. Winners of the battle gain possession of the towers for a week, plus loot, buffs, and other rewards for the entire server.

Atlantica Online is published by Nexon, which also publishes Vindictus and Combat Arms.

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Atlantica Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

All Along the Spelltower

Atlantica Online reveals new tower defense battles in turn-based war system

Nexon America's strategic turn-based massively multiplayer online game, Atlantica Online, is introducing a tower-based battle zone in its upcoming content expansion, "Spelltower Siege," that will pit populations of game servers against each other.  Players will be able to access this content starting September 7.

The new Spelltower Control battles allow for all-out-war between armies of 100 in turn-based strategy style combat. Up to 50 players on each side will compete, with each player armed with one mercenary. In this battle, a controlling team will fend off an attacking army, whose goal is to destroy and take over the tower while obliterating the defending army.

The attacking army is a combination of players from the remaining five servers.  The server members who contribute to the battle the most will be declared the winning server and possess control of the towers for that week. The winning server will also receive loot, buffs and other rewards that will be shared through the entire server.

The towers, located on the Africa continent, are accessible to players level 100 and above on all servers through the Titan server. Each Spelltower Control conflict will last up to 50 minutes and players with high "Might" will have a higher chance to reserve a spot in the battle.

Participating players will be allowed to take their main character and one mercenary of their own choosing into the battle.

For more information on Atlantica Online and its upcoming content expansion, visit: http://atlantica.nexon.net/

Dragon Nest PvP Gameplay HD

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 12:59 PM PDT

To Learn More About the Game Check out our Dragon Nest Page.

Dragon Nest is a 3D brightly themed anime MMORPG published by Nexon – the same company behind MapleStory, Vindictus, Mabinogi, Combat Arms, and a few other titles. Like other action MMORPGs – areas outside town are instanced while town areas are not. The video above is a quick look at the PvP options available in Dragon Nest. To learn more about Dragon Nest check out the official MMOHut Dragon Nest page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Heroes of Neverwinter

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Heroes of Neverwinter  is a fantasy themed browser Dungeons and Dragon style MMORPG. It uses the 4th generation Dungeons and Dragons ruleset and allows players to create a custom charecter and explore over 45 unique dungeons with friends.

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Publisher: Atari
Playerbase: N/A
Graphics: Medium Quality
Type: Web RPG
EXP Rate: Low
PvP:
Filesize: Browser/Facebook

Pros: +Comic-style art. +Multi-player adds depth. +High energy regeneration

Cons: -Reliance on cash shop to unlock some adventures. -Gold per account, not character.

Overview

Heroes of Neverwinter Overview

Heroes of Neverwinter, published by Atari, is designed to draw people to their upcoming MMO, Neverwinter, similar to how Bioware used Dragon Age: Journeys to promote Dragon Age: Origins.   This slick Facebook app has all the trappings of a decent Dungeons and Dragons campaign, with some interesting twists to make it a unique experience.  Similar in nature to Sacred Seasons 2 and PoxNora, Heroes of Neverwinter offers a fun entry into a turn-based grid system RPG.

Heroes of Neverwinter Screenshots

Full Review

Heroes of Neverwinter Full Review

By Jaime Skelton

Of Dragonborn and Halflings

Heroes of Neverwinter presents itself with cartoon-like graphics, which works in its favor.  The lines are crisp and detailed, almost like a comic book in nature.  The first thing you’ll do is create an adventurer.  You have your choice between four preset character types: Dragonborn Fighter, Eladrin Wizard, Human Cleric, or Halfling Rogue.  Each of these four options have their stats maximized for the class.  Additionally, you can choose to create a custom character using the four races and classes and assign stats yourself.

If you’ve never played Dungeons and Dragons, you have six stats to look at – Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom, Constitution, Intelligence, and Charisma.  The game offers detailed information on which each stat does and how it affects the different classes. Once you’ve selected either a preset character, or created your own, you can customize the character by choosing between three skin tones, three face types, three hair styles, and five hair colors.  If this is your first character, you will then be placed into a short tutorial that gives you some story background, as well as teaching you basic concepts such as movement, combat, skill and item use, and how to deal with traps.

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Neverwinter Afternoons

Once you’ve completed the tutorial, you’re deposited into the town of Neverwinter.  A gruff guard named Jerith is there to introduce you to the various buildings in town and what they can do for you.  The tavern is where you recruit additional party members.  You can also buy food and drink, which have various effects for the adventure.  The arms depot and trade house allow you to buy weapons, armor, potions and other pieces of equipment, which all show up on the character.  Your house allows you to view your achievements and receive a free daily random item from your Chest of Wonder. Like most loot in game, it’s handled through the draw system; you have 10 cards laying face down, and you receive the item revealed on the card you choose to flip. Finally, once you reach level 10, you can use the dungeon workshop, which allows players to create dungeons for other players to attempt, and earn gold in the process.

Not That Kind of Party

The game is designed for a party of four, either through the tavern, or characters from your Facebook friends who also play the game.  Once you’ve assembled your party, you use the adventure board to bring up a map of the area around Neverwinter.

In the beginning, there’s only one job you can take. As you gain levels and certain quest items, more tasks unlock.  Doing a job takes a certain amount of energy; you start with 20 energy, and regain one point every three minutes.  Additionally, there are three difficulties per task to accomplish, and leader boards for each to see how you compare to others once you’ve successfully completed the task.

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Dragons and Undead and Kobolds, Oh My!

When you enter an area, you’re presented with a grid-based layout.  Characters and enemies can move a certain number of spaces each turn.  Combat is as simple as clicking on an enemy.  Your character will move to them and use their default attack.  You can see the order characters will act near the bottom right of the screen, allowing you a measure of strategy on which targets to focus on.  Additionally, you have various skills you can activate to help your allies or hinder your opponents, and as you level up, you unlock additional abilities to use.  Every job area also has monsters and chests to plunder, using the same card-based loot system.

When you’ve completed the objectives, you’re rewarded with experience, gold, and often times other useful rewards.  Your main character must survive until the end to complete the mission; however, should he or she perish halfway, the game offers a couple of means to revive characters.

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Final Verdict: Great

Heroes of Neverwinter is an interesting take on classic Dungeons and Dragons.  The major social aspect comes in the observation mode.  If your character is selected by either a friend or someone in the tavern, you can watch their adventure, and offer certain buffs at opportune moments.  Additionally, observation allows the character being used to gain experience for the encounter, where they normally would not.

There are some small errors here and there, most notably an occasional bug in which you can’t change rooms in a dungeon without refreshing the game.  There is also some reliance on Astral Diamonds – the game’s equivalent of cash shop currency – for certain things like energy regeneration and unlocking some adventures.  The game, however, can certainly be enjoyed without this.  Additionally, if none of your friends want to join, you’re not out of luck, thanks to the tavern recruitment.

Screenshots

Heroes of Neverwinter Screenshots

Links

Heroes of Neverwinter Links

Heroes of Neverwinter Official Page

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Game Archaeologist uncovers Shadowbane: Talking with Josef Hall and Todd Coleman, part 1

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 10:30 AM PDT

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Josef Hall and Todd Coleman
After a couple of weeks of talking with players about their favorite experiences in Shadowbane, I decided it was high time to flip the discussion from those who played it to those who made it.

Today we're going to kick off a two-part interview with the makers of Shadowbane, Josef Hall and Todd Coleman. It's interesting to realize that while MMOs come and go, many developers remain in the industry, moving between projects in surprising ways. In this case, both Hall and Coleman went from the brutal lands of cutthroat PvP to a colorful kids title: Wizard101. It's hard to imagine two MMOs being more different, but that goes to show you that developers, like gamers, don't always like being pigeonholed into specific roles. The duo were extremely eager to talk about Shadowbane, as you'll see from this interview. Buckle up -- you're in for a treat!

The Game Archaeologist: Can you introduce yourself to us and explain how you became involved with Shadowbane?

Josef Hall: I'm Josef Hall, co-founder of Wolfpack Studios, the creator of Shadowbane. Currently, I'm the Vice President of Development at KingsIsle Entertainment, creator of Wizard101.

Todd Coleman: And I'm Todd Coleman, co-founder of Wolfpack. I'm currently the VP of Production and Creative for KingsIsle. Josef and I still work together; we were the two first people brought in start the dev studio for KingsIsle here in Austin.

Hall: In fact, Wizard101 was our idea, which is a bit odd, given that we were also the first two people to come up with the core idea behind Shadowbane.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist uncovers Shadowbane: Talking with Josef Hall and Todd Coleman, part 1

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist uncovers Shadowbane: Talking with Josef Hall and Todd Coleman, part 1 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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APB Reloaded gets North American retail distributor

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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APB Reloaded - shooter
OK, remember last month when GamersFirst seemed to shoot down the notion of APB Reloaded coming to a retail shelf near you?

Apparently those rumors were more than idle scuttlebutt, and senior marketing VP Rahul Sandil's statement that GamersFirst was evaluating its options was more than idle PR-speak. In a new press release issued this morning, GamersFirst revealed that it is partnering with Interactive Gaming Software to bring the massively multiplayer shooter to your local gaming store. Sandil says that "the response from retail has been so overwhelming that we are considering launching with a half-million units."

What will retail customers get for their $29.95? Aside from the box and manual, the package boasts $50 worth of in-game items including a permanent high-performance vehicle, a permanent in-game weapon, and 30 days of premium account access (which grants increased mission rewards, reputation gains, and a 20% cash shop discount).

MassivelyAPB Reloaded gets North American retail distributor originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE is Real contests open for voting

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 09:30 AM PDT

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EVE Online - Gallente exploration
EVE is Real has been online for a few weeks now, and CCP is ramping up the publicity machine in order to highlight what it's billing as a "memory museum" for its 8-year old sci-fi sandbox. Yep, EVE Online really has been around since 2003, and that's plenty of time to accumulate tons of images and video footage, some 4,000 examples of which are now viewable on the EVE is Real website.

Aside from ogling all the internet spaceships, visitors to the site can also get in on the voting to determine the best of the best when it comes to capturing stills and making movies in New Eden. Users may vote for one image and one video prize each day, and winners will receive one of 20 video cards (for the image category) and one high-end Dell PC (for the video category). Voting runs through September 1st, so lay in a course for the EVE is Real website today!

MassivelyEVE is Real contests open for voting originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Blow your minds': The Secret World dreams of large-scale PvP

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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The Secret World
While the big news from The Secret World out of Gamescom was its April 2012 launch window, that's not all the developers had to say about this creeptastic title. Ragnar Tornquist opened up to Ten Ton Hammer about the game's epic large-scale PvP fights between the three factions of the Dragons, the Illuminati, and the Templars.

Unlike The Secret World's smaller PvP battlefields, the warzones are persistent with a much larger population. So instead of waiting for a match, experienced players can hop right into a warzone for the glory and honor of their faction. In the warzones, players can capture respawn points to help out their faction and work on their secret society ranking while doing it. Tornquist said that the first warzone is in a Chinese city, although it doesn't have a name yet.

Tornquist stated that the game should provide players with "several hundred hours" of PvE experience, not to mention the title's PvP and optional internet quests that will have the dedicated hunting through websites for arcane clues.

Funcom's project lead thinks the total sum of The Secret World will be unlike anything we've ever seen before: "When the story and the respective events are ready to show off, we are going to blow your minds."

Massively'Blow your minds': The Secret World dreams of large-scale PvP originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EverQuest II's GU61 pushed back to Thursday

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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EverQuest II - Lavastorm
EverQuest II fans, get ready. Thursday marks the official launch of Game Update 61 (yes, Sony Online Entertainment has delayed it by a couple of days). The patch brings a whole slew of changes to Norrath and your characters, and EQ2Wire has the details. Whether we're talking about the massive alternate advancement reset, the faction grind relief, or a laundry list of bugs that hopefully don't make it past the sentinels on the test server, it's clear that Norrath will look quite different later this week.

The AA changes are, of course, the biggest tweak, and EQ2Wire notes that the old "spider-web" method has gone the way of the dinosaur. In its place is a more consistent ability unlock system as well as new subclass trees for each of EQII's 24 classes. As we told you earlier, the Shadows tree is now reserved for players at level 50 and above, so plan accordingly if you're fond of specialized crafting characters or other departures from conventional class wisdom.

MassivelyEverQuest II's GU61 pushed back to Thursday originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony reinventing Playstation Home to be more like an MMO

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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Playstation Home
PlayStation Home was a hugely anticipated feature for console fans, one that ultimately garnered mixed reviews and apathetic affection. Due to the reception, Sony has decided to reinvent the game lobby-slash-virtual-world to incorporate the best of theme parks, MMOs, and social networks.

When it relaunches this fall, PlayStation Home will look radically different, resembling something like a sleek mall with plenty to do and faster functionality for those who want to get right to their games. But between playing commercial titles, gamers are encouraged to hang out for a while, which is where MMO elements come into play.

The new Home has a number of districts, as an amusement park would, and in them players can pick up quests, go on treasure hunts, and explore these video game-themed zones to find hidden mysteries. Sony also promises that it will incorporate persistent, ongoing stories, similar to those you'd find in MMOs, such as an alien invasion that affects all of the areas.

Sony is hoping that the 23 million Home users will embrace this new experience and form stronger social connections through it.

MassivelySony reinventing Playstation Home to be more like an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are appearance tabs essential?

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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World of Warcraft - appearance tabs
Appearance tabs in MMOs are a funny thing. When you think about it, the implementation of an appearance tab is a signal that, on some level, the initial game design has failed to deliver. It's an admission that the best gear often looks like crap -- or is too prevalent -- and many players wouldn't be caught dead wearing it if there were any alternative.

Along with housing, crafting, and other MMO gameplay staples that have fallen by the wayside in recent years, appearance tabs are often scoffed at by the combat-only crowd and consequently treated as low-priority by devs and publishers. Clearly a lot of players want to be able to customize their characters, though, as even the mighty Blizzard has finally caved in to fan requests (although it did take World of Warcraft designers a good seven years to wrap their heads around the concept). What about you, Massively readers? Do you feel that appearance tabs are essential to your MMO enjoyment?

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: Are appearance tabs essential? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Diablo III's Inferno mode and million-dollar tournaments

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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Not So Massively title image
Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Monday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Rise of Immortals, Bloodline Champions and more.

It's been a huge week for online gaming, with DotA 2 being shown for the first time at Gamescom and new details being released on Diablo III. In this week's Not So Massively, we give out beta keys for upcoming online action game Brawl Busters and reintroduce MMO-esque online FPS Blacklight: Retribution. Heroes of Newerth makes some controversial changes this week with patch 2.1.5, putting a free courier in every game and reorganising items in the shop.

The biggest news came out of Gamescom this week was the conclusion of Valve's massive $1.6 million US DotA 2 tournament The International. League of Legends retaliated with the announcement of a $5 million US total prize fund for competitive tournaments in season two. Blizzard also attended Gamescom to reveal new details of Diablo III's difficulty settings, which will include a brand-new Inferno endgame mode designed to challenge even the best players.

Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other online games.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III's Inferno mode and million-dollar tournaments

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III's Inferno mode and million-dollar tournaments originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamescom wrapups for WildStar tease a few more nuggets of information

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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Torchlight meets Firefly, or late 90s Disney meets Firefly?  You decide.
It remains to be seen what's going to come of it in the future, but WildStar certainly made an impressive showing during its debut at Gamescom 2011. Of course, outside of a trailer and some very early gameplay, potential players still know very little about the meat of how the game plays. But there are nuggets to be found in the wrap-up posts, a few interesting answers that should pique further interest in the upcoming title.

The fact that the game will include PvP is almost a no-brainer, but the endgame has been stated to be diverse for all players. If you don't enjoy raiding, the game will still have a world story for players to explore and get engaged by. The world will feature both open areas and instances, as well, with a definite spread of different ways to ensure that players can experience the game with their friends. Last but not least, classes will be versatile and armor will be heavily customizable -- the game is being shaped to be something where each player can make his or her mark and have a unique look.

If the game interests you, our own staffers will be getting a hands-on experience with WildStar on Friday.

MassivelyGamescom wrapups for WildStar tease a few more nuggets of information originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV talks about the new stealthy gathering

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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Pictured: stealth.
It's not always easy being a gatherer in Final Fantasy XIV. Sure, you get all of the features of a full-fledged class, and that's pretty nice. You are sent out into the wild amidst hordes of ravenous beasts, however, and you aren't given many defensive options beyond "try to throw a rock at things." At least, that's the case at the moment. Patch 1.19 is bringing a major change to the way Disciplines of the Land handle their trade, with a new ability known as Coeurl Step.

Named after the cat-like monsters found across the series, the new ability permits gatherers to enter an undetectable state for various tiers of levels at the cost of a severe drop in movement speed. Stealth can be maintained even while gathering, however, allowing players to sneak right past aggressive monsters and take their bounty from the land with ease. While Coeurl Step is exclusive to the gathering classes, there are few players who haven't picked up one gathering class or another, so most of the playerbase will benefit from the option to go incognito.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV talks about the new stealthy gathering originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lost Pages of Taborea: Runes of Magic's potential for EVE combat

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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Runes of Magic screenshot
I've been thinking a lot lately on other ways that Runes of Magic reminds me of EVE Online. Not that any systems are exactly the same, but they have certain similarities. Wurm Online and Minecraft are arguably different in how they function, but they both scratch the same creative itch.

RoM's gear-modification system lends itself to EVE-esque combat. Keep in mind we're not talking about how the mechanics or guts of the games are similar or different; we're talking about how the same itch is being scratched. In the case of RoM's PvP being like EVE, it's more like tickling the itch with a feather, which makes you want to scratch it even more. I want to scratch that itch with a Brillo pad by exploring how RoM's open-world PvP could function more like EVE's, thanks to the arcane transmutor. Let's start with how I think battlefields differ from open-world PvP.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Runes of Magic's potential for EVE combat

MassivelyLost Pages of Taborea: Runes of Magic's potential for EVE combat originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Past, present, and future

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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One Shots Guild Wars screenshot
With all the attention given to the Sylvari race of Guilds Wars 2 lately, it's only natural that fans will have Sylvari on the brain. Take a look at today's One Shots image from Guild Wars fan Jeromai:
The amount of care Guild Wars puts into its environments is astounding! My favorite has got to be the amount of planning that has gone into keeping visual lore continuity between Eye of the North and Guild Wars 2.

A seemingly insignificant detail takes on much greater meaning as more is revealed. Just coming off Sylvari Week, I was tempted back into playing Guild Wars once again. Running casually by Arbor Bay, one of many instanced jungle maps, I did a double take as I realized the clearing I walked past was going to be the future birthplace of the Sylvari. Ventari was standing by right at the base of the future Pale Tree, and Ronan not too far off.

For an old game, the screenshots still look like something out of an acrylic fantasy painting.
We're looking at the best MMO environments all this week. Do you have a favorite landscape, particularly eye-catching weather effect, or hidden jewel in an out-of-the-way location? Snap a screenshot of your favorite MMO area, tell us a bit about what and where it is, and send it to oneshots@massively.com.

MassivelyOne Shots: Past, present, and future originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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STO's August engineering report on plans for Feature Series 4

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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Star Trek Online screenshot
It's that time again, Trekkers and Trekkies -- Star Trek Online's August Engineering Report is upon us.

STO executive producer Daniel Stahl has offered up a post that kicks off with praise for Cryptic's new overlords at Perfect World Entertainment. He goes on to state that subs are up as players stream in to check out the new Ground Combat system and that the team is working extra hard to push out the long-awaited Deep Space 9-themed Feature Series 4. Stahl also outlines the devs' fall plans for the REDSHIRT closed beta server and notes that the upcoming September 22nd update "will be pretty big [...] some might say even bigger than the launch of Season 4."

Finally, the post winds down with a meaty list of game features and bug fixes currently in testing, including tweaks to the Duty Officer system, random Borg encounters, the group-finder tool, lore quests, and more.

MassivelySTO's August engineering report on plans for Feature Series 4 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flameseeker Chronicles: Information overload

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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Guild Wars 2 Gamescom booth
Early last week I had a fail-proof strategy in place for handling Gamescom. I'd diligently watch the Guild Wars 2 news coming from the event, and at the end of the week, do a nice neat wrap-up for all of you.

It's OK, you can laugh -- I am. Talk about trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon! There is one thing I can wrap up for you: Last week there were ArenaNet blog posts and site updates, over a dozen interviews and articles written, nine photo galleries (one from ArenaNet), 17 video interviews, and over 100 game footage videos.

So how do you even begin to process all of that, especially when you consider that there's another wave coming in just a few days? Follow along after the jump and let's take a look!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Information overload

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Information overload originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Till log do us part

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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Wings Over Atreia header
The sounds of the bluetail crestliches filled the air as the creamy white leaves drifted about on the breeze. Lifting his muscular arms encased in formal attire instead of the customary platemail, Pwnzoo stretched and rolled his shoulders, trying to relax as he waited, eyes avoiding the guests who arrayed themselves around him. Soon, he thought. My sweetheart will arrive soon and all will be well. He cracked his neck and took a deep breath.

Relationships. They are everywhere; heck, Aion even nods (and markets) to relationships by offering a wedding dress/tuxedo through the NCsoft Store. When something commands as much of your time and attention as playing your favorite MMO does, relationships of some type are bound to form. And some are even lucky enough to have their real-life partners play right alongside them; wife-aggro takes on a whole new meaning when she shanghais you for an Udas Temple run!

Whether they're in-game, a part of real life, or just an online fling love affair, relationships can and do have a profound affect on game play in Aion for everyone, not just those within said relationship. And while a Balaur's share of the effect is drama, that luckily is not the totality of it! Sometimes relationships create stability and camaraderie for groups and are beneficial to the community.

Lovers'-leap over the break for Wings Over Atreia's look at relationships and their effects in Atreia.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Till log do us part

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Till log do us part originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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