MMO Updates |
- Champions Online releases September State of the Game letter
- Pocket Legends goes under the big top with Nuri's Hallows
- Innovating outwards: The joining of EVE Online with DUST 514
- The Road to Mordor: NDA drop
- Perfect World International invites you to attend its 3rd anniversary
- The Daily Grind: What are you looking forward to at Dragon*Con?
- The MMO Report: Cybernetic Arm Replacement edition
- NCsoft releases Lineage II Goddess of Destruction trailers
- Luvinia Online announces open beta date
- Gamigo celebrates Black Prophecy + Raptr bundle with giveaways
- Hellgate announces September events
- Ask Massively: Stir-crazy edition
- Behind the Mask: Two years and two thousand miles
- Preview RIFT's Chronicles of Telara solo instance content on the PTS
- One Shots: I can't see!
- The Guild Counsel: Pre-launch pitfalls
- SOE readying EverQuest II double XP weekend
- Massively's Guide to Dragon*Con 2011
- Gods and Heroes entices players with extended trial, lower cost and a new class
- DCUO's Fight for the Light content pack free for subscribers
| Champions Online releases September State of the Game letter Posted: 02 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Champions Online, Dev Diaries  The second portion of the letter focuses on upcoming content patches and also mentions the anniversary event (which is basically a social gathering featuring dev appearances). Upcoming content includes Comic Series 2: Whiteout, a new mini arc, and team missions called alerts that will scale to your level. Overmeyer has more to say, of course, and you can read all about it at the official Champions website.
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| Pocket Legends goes under the big top with Nuri's Hallows Posted: 02 Sep 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Expansions, Patches, Free-to-play, Mobile  With the recently released Nuri's Hallows campaign pack, players can now push up to level 60 as they investigate the cursed circus and its fascinating inhabitants. Amidst fighting the Strongman or navigating the twisted passageways of the House of Pain, there's tons of new loot to be found. Best of all, Spacetime is offering this campaign for free. Pocket Legends is available on iOS devices, and you can watch the trailer for Nuri's Hallows after the jump. Remember, kids, all the best things in life come after the jump! Continue reading Pocket Legends goes under the big top with Nuri's Hallows
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| Innovating outwards: The joining of EVE Online with DUST 514 Posted: 02 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Interviews, MMOFPS, DUST 514  DUST 514 producer Thomas Farrer sat down with Gamasutra to shed some light on the nitty-gritty details behind the auspicious plan. Farrer says that the buzz over DUST isn't as big as the team hoped, but he thinks this is due to the project taking a completely new angle on the industry: "Often, particularly in first-person games, games often look very inwards when it comes to how they are trying to innovate or move things forward. What we've tried to do is look more outwards." Farrer outlined how the two titles will share the same economy, corporate structure, and social features. He says that the already-constructed EVE Online universe was a boon to the team's plans, since the established setting provided a perfect backdrop to a persistent shooter MMO, and that the two teams are in constant contact with each other as the project goes forward. Of course, some computer players are put out that DUST 514 will be exclusive to the PS3, but Farrer acknowledges the slight possibility that it might not always be so: "Right now, we're pretty much just entirely focused on PlayStation. That's what we're going to remain focused on at least for the foreseeable future. But you know, who knows what happens in the future."
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| Posted: 02 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor  I know I was pretty critical of Rise of Isengard's scope in last week's Road to Mordor, but I want to make it clear that I'm pretty happy with the amount of pure PvE questing content that's on display here. LotRO's quests and epic storylines have always been the meat of this MMO, and even if Rise of Isengard is being served up with few garnishes, it's still looking to be a filling meal. Today I want to check out what the community has to share about this expansion following the NDA drop, although apparently it's important to note that beta testers aren't allowed to share patch notes, videos, and excessive content. On Twitter, Sapience made it clear: "We have always held that an NDA drop is not 'open season.' It's fair game to share your experiences, opinions, and thoughts. Not endless screens, videos, copy and pasted posts/notes." So let's focus on those "experiences, opinions, and thoughts" -- what do beta testers have to say about our upcoming journey into Dunland and beyond? Hit the jump and let's find out! Continue reading The Road to Mordor: NDA drop
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| Perfect World International invites you to attend its 3rd anniversary Posted: 02 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Perfect World, Contests, Events, in-game, Free-to-play  Perfect World International subscribes to this theory (well, not the clown, thank goodness), and so is handing out lots of free gifts for its third anniversary starting today. The anniversary celebration kicks off with several in-game events, veteran rewards based on how long since you first registered for PWI, and 24 days of double XP, spirit and drops that starts today. Players who log in from the 2nd through the 4th will automatically be entered for the giveaway pack, which includes a cool giveaway package with a Barbarian Tiger Statue and a Logitech keyboard. An anniversary is a great time to renew vows -- or make new ones -- which is why Perfect World International also has added a Chinese-themed Phoenix Nest Wedding Chapel into the game. Product Manager Derick Chan took time out of throwing confetti and blowing a birthday horn to praise the community: "We owe all of the game's success to the fans that have helped it grow and plan to reward every single player regardless of how long they have been with us."
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| The Daily Grind: What are you looking forward to at Dragon*Con? Posted: 02 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, Opinion, The Daily Grind  But for those who attend, it's an experience that can't quite be put into words. You can try to explain it to those used to "normal" conventions, but it's something you'll need to see to believe. So for those of you attending the convention, which starts today, what are you most excited to see? For those of you not attending, what would you like to see us cover the most? Check out our own guide to Dragon*Con to help you navigate your way through the MMO bits.  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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| The MMO Report: Cybernetic Arm Replacement edition Posted: 01 Sep 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Video, Events, real-world, Interviews, News items, Guild Wars 2, The Secret World, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous  Welcome to a very special PAX Prime 2011 edition of The MMO Report. Surely you've read all of Massively's PAX coverage (you have, haven't you?), but in case you somehow missed it, don't fear. The MMO Report is here to give you the skinny on the big MMO happenings at one of the country's largest gaming conventions. The show kicks things off with -- surprise! -- Guild Wars 2. Content Designer Mike Zadorojny talks about the new skill progression system and the removal of the energy mechanic, and also notes that closed beta is still on track to take place before the end of the year. Then it's on to Firefall, the new MMOFPS from Red 5 Studios. The open-world portion of the game was the newest addition to the game's PAX 2011 demo, though players also had the opportunity to try their hand at the game's competitive PvP. Funcom's The Secret World is up next with news on the game's large-scale persistent PvP. Small-scale PvP battlefields make an appearance as well in the form of Stonehenge, El Dorado, and Shambhala. Star Wars: The Old Republic rounds out the MMO selection with the game's Huttball and Alderaan PvP battlegrounds and the Eternity Vault endgame Operation. For the full video and all the juicy PAX 2011 MMO details, jump on past the cut. Continue reading The MMO Report: Cybernetic Arm Replacement edition
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| NCsoft releases Lineage II Goddess of Destruction trailers Posted: 01 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Lineage 2, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items  The first clip is a Lineage II history lesson of sorts, and it takes viewers on a quick journey through all of the title's chronicle updates before launching into a highlight reel of the upcoming content patch. The second video has a bit of narrative feel to it, but it's also got plenty of action, and frankly it does a great job of whetting our appetite for the Goddess expansion that's scheduled to go live this fall. Check out both clips after the cut or on the official Lineage II website. Continue reading NCsoft releases Lineage II Goddess of Destruction trailers
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| Luvinia Online announces open beta date Posted: 01 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Free-to-play, Giveaways  Outspark announced in a press release today that the open beta test for its upcoming MMORPG Luvinia Online will begin on September 7th. Alongside this announcement, the company also released a short community Q&A to provide prospective players with some information about the game. Players are given the choice of one of three starting classes: Rogue, Warrior, or Magician. From there, each class branches off into one of two advanced classes, and then branches a second time into the final advanced class, giving players plenty of opportunities to refine their style of play. The game also features an auto-questing system, which provides players with automatic navigation to their quest objectives. The company is also running a number of events to celebrate the launch of the game's open beta, such as the Raffle of LUV contest, which enters each player who reaches level 40 during the open beta into a raffle for prizes such as an iPad 2, a Nintendo 3DS, and copious amounts of SparkCash. To get in on the open beta, and to get your chance at these faaaabulous prizes, just sign up at the game's official site.
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| Gamigo celebrates Black Prophecy + Raptr bundle with giveaways Posted: 01 Sep 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Contests, Events, real-world, News items, Free-to-play, Black Prophecy, Giveaways  To commemorate the union of game and IM client, gamigo is hosting a promotion, which is going on now and will end on September 16th, 2011. To participate, players have to scamper over to Black Prophecy's Raptr page, follow it, and leave comments on the stories posted each day. What can players win for their troubles? Well, 20 lucky players will receive an in-game prize pack, which includes a 30-day Character Card, 10 XP bonus consumables, five Concentration Boost consumables, and an in-game Synaptic Impairment Protection II item. Four grand-prize winners will receive all of that plus a top-of-the-line gaming joystick "with a total of over $2000 in gear and in-game items." Who doesn't love free stuff, right? So what are you waiting for? Get on it, space cowboy.
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| Hellgate announces September events Posted: 01 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, News items, Hellgate: London, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic  The festivities begin with an event simply called Join the Ranks. For this event, existing heroes will have the opportunity to recruit new players, which will result in delicious rewards for the the recruiter. Once a healthy regiment of soldiers has been established, it's time to begin training. The Condition System is back in full effect, and it grants each character five hours of bonus experience each day. In addition to the experience bonus, specified dates in September will see the onslaught of a Hell Rush, "effectively doubling the experience earned on those days." As players level from these bonuses, they will be eligible for the Level And Be Rewarded event. This event... well, it is what it sounds like, people. At certain leveling milestones, players will receive a variety of rewards ranging from inventory expansion to stat-boosting capsules. But what good is a hero without heroic equipment? Throughout the month, the Tools of the Trade event, which provides players with the chance to receive "premium items that aren't available in the cash shop," will be active. Players will also receive two free Resurrection Scrolls daily, in order to keep them fighting on their feet. And to top it off, once players feel prepared for a challenge, they can take part in the Boss Time Attack event, which is a special challenge mode to kill a dungeon boss within a certain time limit. Succeeding, of course, will result in fine rewards. So suit up and move out, heroes. London isn't going to defend itself.
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| Ask Massively: Stir-crazy edition Posted: 01 Sep 2011 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, Massively meta, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous  My makeshift attempts at answering this week's lineup for Ask Massively, however, have proved pretty fruitful all around. Skip on past the break for discussions about some very meta considerations, not the least of which being a potential subdivision of the site. As always, leaving a question in the comments or mailing it to ask@massively.com will quite possibly get it included in a future edition of the column. Sometimes even if the question is ridiculous. Continue reading Ask Massively: Stir-crazy edition
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| Behind the Mask: Two years and two thousand miles Posted: 01 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Opinion, Free-to-play, Champions Online, Behind the Mask  The second year of Champions has been a lot more successful. I'm pretty sure that from a bottom-line perspective, the F2P launch helped turn the game into a profitable venture. However, that hasn't been the only major change. If Cryptic had held this kind of attitude from day one, I think things would have turned out differently. Continue reading Behind the Mask: Two years and two thousand miles
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| Preview RIFT's Chronicles of Telara solo instance content on the PTS Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, News items, PvE, RIFT, Dungeons  RIFT's patch 1.5 is just on the horizon, and to prepare for the patch's release, Trion Worlds has introduced solo dungeons to the game's public test server. This instanced content, known as Chronicles of Telara, provides quick gameplay for players who are craving a little bit of dungeon-flavored action but who don't have the time to gather a group and trudge through the trials and tribulations of a five-man instance. After the cut, we have a pair of videos showing off the Chronicles of Telara: Hammerknell solo instance. The first video, from ZAM's Nepabrite, takes players on a quick tour of the Dwarven fortress, complete with running commentary. The second video, from Torrac of the guild Result on the Immerwacht server, is devoid of any such commentary and simply allows players to follow along through the entirety of the instance. To feast your eyes upon both of the above, just slip on past the cut. Continue reading Preview RIFT's Chronicles of Telara solo instance content on the PTS
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| Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, One Shots  My husband and I were playing in Deadmines together out of boredom, when we discovered a bug that allowed a second person to mount someone else's one-person mount. For some reason, the default "riding" position for a second character on one-person mounts is usually the face. So here's my character sitting on my husband's camel.We're revisiting an old favorite of One Shots this week: bug week. Whether it's unwanted guests in cutscenes, funny graphic glitches, or a prank you played on a buddy, we want to see. Send your screenshots in to oneshots@massively.com and we'll feature them in next week's One Shots!
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| The Guild Counsel: Pre-launch pitfalls Posted: 01 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous  In this week's Guild Counsel, let's look at some dos and don'ts when it comes to building a pre-launch guild... and hopefully keep the good times rolling long past launch day. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Pre-launch pitfalls
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| SOE readying EverQuest II double XP weekend Posted: 01 Sep 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Crafting  It's as good a time as any to check out the new itemization revamp that debuted with the recent GU 61 patch, and don't forget that the bonus applies to alternate advancement experience as well. More details are available via EQ2Wire and the official EQII website.
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| Massively's Guide to Dragon*Con 2011 Posted: 01 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, Previews, News items, Massively meta, Miscellaneous  Now, just because Dragon*Con isn't as internationally renowned as Gamescom or as well-publicized as Penny Arcade's brainchild doesn't mean you should write it off by any means. There's still a whole truckload of events for MMO players at Dragon*Con. From Q&As to panels (including one on MMO podcasting that includes our very own Shawn Schuster!) and more, there's a little something for every MMO player at Dragon*Con. So whether you're attending or just want to see what kind of news you have to look forward to coming out of Dragon*Con (news that will, of course, be covered right here on Massively), jump on past the cut and see what the Atlanta-based con has in store. Continue reading Massively's Guide to Dragon*Con 2011
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| Gods and Heroes entices players with extended trial, lower cost and a new class Posted: 01 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Classes  The first prong of the campaign is an extended free trial. Starting today, players can check out the full game for a week by simply signing up on the site. "By extending the trial period from three to seven days, new players will have a chance to really dig into the heart of the game and we know they'll like what they find," Heatwave's Anthony Castoro said. The cost of Gods & Heroes is coming down as well, hitting a more reasonable $29.99 for both boxed and digital versions of the game. Castoro hopes that this will help interested parties get past any financial barriers and will widen the playerbase: "The community has spoken and our analytics confirm that players really enjoy Gods & Heroes once they've experienced it." Finally, Heatwave is adding a chunk of new content to the game, including the ranged Scout class and a free archer minion for loyal subscribers. The undead minion Batillus will be granted to players who subscribed prior to August 1st.
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| DCUO's Fight for the Light content pack free for subscribers Posted: 01 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Business models, MMO industry, Patches, News items, DC Universe Online, Miscellaneous, Dungeons  What exactly is in store for loyal denizens of Metropolis and Gotham City? For starters, there's the game's seventh power set (light, of course), followed by new instances like S.T.A.R. Labs, Coast City, and Sciencells Prison. In addition, players will interact with Green Lantern-based friends and foes as they battle to save earth from the clutches of Brainiac.
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