MMO Updates

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• RIFT Extra Life charity event coming in October
• New LotRO screens show off Isengard items, legendary weapons
• A plague of frogs: Eden Eternal releases the Anuran race
• PlanetSide 2 opens up a comm-link to the players
• Last chance to join Star Wars Galaxies sunset
• The Daily Grind: Which MMO world would you inhabit in real life?
• PlanetSide 2 hosting a webcast on Thursday
• Russian MMO market to continue growing through next year
• Wurm Online inviting players to Exodus
• City of Heroes tackles the hard questions about rocket boards
• Hyperspace Beacon: Find your blaster at your side
• The Game Archaeologist spins A Tale in the Desert: The highlights
• KULTAN: The World Beyond shoves off into open beta
• Guild Wars 2's Asura Week continues with a look at environmental concepts
• One Shots: A tough call
• Dragons gone wild: Might and Magic: Heroes Kingdom's third season reveals all
• MMObility: Online board games make for good mobile design
• The Soapbox: Why MMO combat sucks, and how BioWare could've made it suck less
• SWTOR companions will have same-sex romance options... eventually
• Party with the Gods & Heroes devs in Austin
• Dragonica New Origin expansion coming September 20th

RIFT Extra Life charity event coming in October Posted: 14 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, RIFT If you're feeling charitable this year but don't want to take time to log out of your favorite MMO to make a donation, Trion Worlds is offering you the next best thing. October 15th marks the date of RIFT's Extra Life event, which will feature a 24-hour gaming marathon designed to put a little coin in the pocket of the Children's Miracle Network. How does it all work? First you'll need to register with Extra Life and decide whether you want to play as part of a team or as an individual. Then you'll need to spread the word to family, friends, and anyone else who might be willing to sponsor your 24-hour Telara marathon. Finally, you can join up with Trion staffers in-game on the 15th and do your part for charity. There are a couple of pretty cool rewards on tap too, namely in-game titles like "the Charitable" (for all participants), and "the Insomniac" (for those who manage to last the entire 24 hours). You can find more details on the RIFT forums and at the Extra Life website. RIFT Extra Life charity event coming in October originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

New LotRO screens show off Isengard items, legendary weapons Posted: 14 Sep 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play Something draws near, we can feel it. That something is Lord of the Rings Online's Rise of Isengard expansion (hey, at least it wasn't another "they're taking the hobbits to Isengard" joke). Anyhow, the new content debuts in two short weeks, and Turbine has sent out some new screenshots to keep the hype machine rolling merrily along. Today's batch shows off some of the new gear and items to be had as the Fellowship inches closer to Mordor (and thousands of players follow in their wake). Of particular note are the spiffy new legendary weapons that you can see in our gallery below. Rise of Isengard will be available on September 27th, and the patch offers three new explorable regions, a level cap increase (to 75), and a new 24-man raid. More info is available at the official LotRO website. Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Core Gallery New LotRO screens show off Isengard items, legendary weapons originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

A plague of frogs: Eden Eternal releases the Anuran race Posted: 14 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Economy, Patches, Free-to-play, Races Frogs may not seem like the best choice for rough-and-tough warriors, but they're great candidates when you think about it. They fight both on land and in water, they can use their freakishly long tongues to disarm the enemy, and they've got a bellyful of flies. That'd put anyone in a foul, fightin' mood. So we applaud Eden Eternal, which today released an update that includes the latest race to the game, the froggy Anurans. The content patch for this fresh-faced MMO also includes racial crafting, with the Humans specializing in Gemcrafting, the Anuran in Alchemy, and the Zumi in Engineering. Crafters will be able to sell their wares at new player shops in Aven once the players hit level 20. We posted a trailer to this patch two days ago, so if you haven't already, hop right on over and gobble it up! A plague of frogs: Eden Eternal releases the Anuran race originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

PlanetSide 2 opens up a comm-link to the players Posted: 14 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, MMOFPS, Dev Diaries, PlanetSide 2 Creative Director Matt Higby has stepped up to the plate to take a few swings at an introductory letter for PlanetSide 2 on the title's official website. Higby begins by laying out his past experience at SOE, citing his enthusiasm for working on the PlanetSide sequel and introducing the team working on the project. The meat of the letter comes as Higby presents the core pitch for the game. "Our goal with PlanetSide 2 is to create a game where you will fight against and alongside thousands of players, competing simultaneously and directly against one another in massive battles featuring intense infantry action as well as incredible air and ground vehicle combat," he writes. "All of these features come together to deliver what we feel will be not only the world's best MMOFPS, but the ultimate online FPS experience." Included in the letter are two brand-new screenshots from the game showing soldiers stalking the enemy on an alien world. You can check out those images as well as past PlanetSide 2 pictures in the gallery below. Gallery: PlanetSide 2 PlanetSide 2 opens up a comm-link to the players originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Last chance to join Star Wars Galaxies sunset Posted: 14 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, Star Wars Galaxies, Massively meta, Trading card games, Sandbox In June, we broke the sad news that Star Wars Galaxies would be shutting down this December. But if you were hoping to check out one of the best sandbox MMOs in existence before the final curtain falls, you're running out of time. According to Sony Online Entertainment, only accounts that are active and in good standing on September 15th will be eligible for the sunset period and events, so if you want to play, you'll have to plan ahead and reactivate your account one last time to make sure your account is active on Thursday. After that, your account will remain active for free until December 15th, when the galaxies are closed down for the last time. Confused? Mepps on the official forums has an even more detailed explanation for all the caveats and what-ifs you can dream up. Players meeting the criterion will also find that their accounts are flagged for free access to other SOE games (including EverQuest II and DC Universe Online) from October 15th to the end of the year, further sweetening the deal. Finally, although the SWG TCG will remain in operation as long as the game does, loot cards cease being redeemable after September 15th, so grab your free loot cards while you still can! Last chance to join Star Wars Galaxies sunset originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Which MMO world would you inhabit in real life? Posted: 14 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Lore, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Some MMOs have horrid character models, let's be honest. But I think we can all agree that game worlds are usually the most compelling part of our favorite MMOs. Whether it's the quality of writing that pulls us in or the realism of the environmental art itself, there are just some games that we'd all love to live in. So which one would you pick? Would you enjoy skipping through a tater field in The Shire? How about picking apples with Mary Malone in Tyria? Possibly you'd prefer riding a giant Gryphon in Azeroth. Let us know in the comments below which MMO world you'd live in, given the chance. 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: Which MMO world would you inhabit in real life? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

PlanetSide 2 hosting a webcast on Thursday Posted: 13 Sep 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, Previews, News items, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2 PlanetSide 2 is certainly in the minds of several longtime fans of the original, but thus far we know very little about how the game will actually play. Luckily, Sony Online Entertainment is going to start breaking the metaphorical radio silence, and things are kicking off on the right note via a webcast on Thursday. It's the first time that a live webcast is being held for the game, and it should help get players in on the ground floor for information about the multiplayer shooter. Hosted by Linda Carlson (better known as Brasse), this inaugural webcast will introduce the team behind PlanetSide 2. Eager players and fans should set some time aside on their calendars for 7 p.m. EDT (4 p.m. PDT), as that's the designated start time. No word on what might be revealed aside from the minds of the development team, but if you're looking forward to the game, it's probably not a bad idea to check it out anyway. PlanetSide 2 hosting a webcast on Thursday originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Russian MMO market to continue growing through next year Posted: 13 Sep 2011 07:30 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous For a long time, China has been the country to look to for MMO growth. The country's rapid acquisition of technology and popular internet cafes has led to an explosion in growth and online gaming. But China isn't the only country steadily rising in quantities. According to a study by Newzoo, the Russian game market is already a $1.5 billion industry, with $270 million of that going directly toward MMOs, making our favorite genre tied with general PC gaming for overall spending. Among the more interesting upshots of the study are the fact that women compose 49% of the overall gamer market in Russia, a remarkably even split considering the setup of most developed nation; 69% of the spent money goes toward online or mobile games. In many ways, the Russian gaming market has already overtaken the European markets in terms of overall numbers and spending, according to Newzoo CEO Peter Warman. The company also created a useful set of infographics regarding the overall breakdown of data. [Source: Newzoo press release] Russian MMO market to continue growing through next year originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wurm Online inviting players to Exodus Posted: 13 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Wurm Online, News items, Free-to-play, Sandbox In a game like Wurm Online, fresh lands are important. After all, the game places so much emphasis on setting up your own homestead in the untamed wilderness that you find yourself a bit out in the cold if the land is already developed. This was part of what led to the opening of the game's first new server, Deliverance, but the response of the playerbase has been so overwhelming that the development team is doing the time warp again. According to the development team, a new land named Exodus is being added just south of Deliverance. It's intended to give players a new chance to get involved with building in fertile lands untouched by human expansion, and it's set to go live on Thursday at 1 p.m. EDT. For those of you recalling the issues with the earlier server opening, the team hopes that the new region will open without problem. So get ready to go... well, south, young man, because the lands there are ripe for the taking. [Source: Wurm Online press release] Wurm Online inviting players to Exodus originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

City of Heroes tackles the hard questions about rocket boards Posted: 13 Sep 2011 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, News items, Free-to-play As long as people have been around, we've realized that transportation was possible by our own two feet, but it would be vastly improved if we were standing on a moving board. This has led directly to the creation of boards to move across the sea, the land, and large snow-covered mountains. Sadly, the rocket board designed to let us fly through the air has remained firmly in the realm of fiction... but for City of Heroes, this hypothetical board of the future is right there to ensure that you can look totally cool while taking to the sky. So how did rocket boards come about, and why did they take so long to get in the game? The latest installment of the Intrepid Informer features Colin Brown discussing what it took to put the idea into practice. As he puts it, the major issue from the art side was a simple technical limitation, since it required a theoretical new set of animations for seven years worth of powers. But the hurdles were overcome, and now players can move through the air in the way humans move through things best -- standing on a board. City of Heroes tackles the hard questions about rocket boards originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hyperspace Beacon: Find your blaster at your side Posted: 13 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Game mechanics, New titles, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side," Han Solo said, enlightening us on the smuggler philosophy in the original Star Wars film. (I'm fairly certain that line has not been cut from the Blu-Ray edition.) In Star Wars: The Old Republic, it's not just the blaster that gets him by -- it's all the other dirty tricks this scoundrel has up his sleeve, in his pockets, or under his hat -- that's right: hat. In past editions of the Hyperspace Beacon, we've talked about some specific abilities of the Jedi Knight and Jedi Consular. We have learned that the Advanced Class determines the role and playstyle of a specific class and that the overall class determines the story. Even more so, the specific skill trees narrow your focus. I believe that hybridization weakens your character, but there are others (including those who have played the game) who believe that hybrids are viable. Given that this game is still in beta, actual playtime has been limited to conventions and other special events. The Smuggler class is the class of the weekend. BioWare released the progression video on Friday, and as anyone who knows me can tell you, I love this class. After the break, we'll chat about some of the announced abilities of this unique character. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Find your blaster at your side Hyperspace Beacon: Find your blaster at your side originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Game Archaeologist spins A Tale in the Desert: The highlights Posted: 13 Sep 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, A Tale in the Desert, Culture, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous, Sandbox, Crafting Readers of the ever-so-humble Game Archaeologist will recall that earlier this year I had the opportunity to exchange informative words with Dr. Richard Bartle, the creator of MUD. Since he was -- and is -- a highly opinionated designer, I asked him what he thought was the most innovative MMO from the last decade. The answer was short and succinct. "A Tale in the Desert, he replied, then added: "Note that 'innovative' doesn't necessarily mean 'successful.'" Right there is the crux of ATITD's unique position in the MMO industry. Instead of storming down a path well-traveled, it took a machete and made its own trail -- a trail down which few have followed. As Jef recently noted in Some Assembly Required, it is an "odd duck" of a game, skewing as far away from combat as possible to focus on two often-neglected aspects of MMOs: crafting and politics. Even though its population has pegged it as an eternally niche game, it's proven that constant fighting isn't the only thing that can draw an online community together. This week we're going to look at some of the more unique features of this innovative yet diminutive MMO, which began telling its tale back in 2003. Continue reading The Game Archaeologist spins A Tale in the Desert: The highlights The Game Archaeologist spins A Tale in the Desert: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

KULTAN: The World Beyond shoves off into open beta Posted: 13 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Launches, News items, Free-to-play, Browser Bigpoint Games, maker of Battlestar Galactica Online, announced in a press release today that its newest title, KULTAN: The World Beyond, has launched into open beta. Like BSGO, KULTAN is browser-based and powered by the Unity engine. In the game, players choose from three factions and three classes and then step into the role of a ship's captain. From there it's up to players to explore the uncharted, discover the unknown, and complete quests for their nation. Jump on past the cut for the game's official trailer, and to get behind the wheel of your own galleon, head on over to the game's official site. Continue reading KULTAN: The World Beyond shoves off into open beta KULTAN: The World Beyond shoves off into open beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Guild Wars 2's Asura Week continues with a look at environmental concepts Posted: 13 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Guild Wars 2, Dev Diaries Asura Week continues today with another blog entry from ArenaNet's Matt Barrett. While yesterday's update looked at conceptualizing the floppy-earred cutelings themselves, today's blurb is all about their environmental art. Asuran design is heavily influenced by ancient Hindu architecture and features "massive stone columns, intricate, masterful carvings, and a sense of being inside a mountain," Barrett explains, before going on to share several thumbnail sketches and designs for more specific in-game props. While most of Barrett's showcase is in black and white, he does do color pieces as well, primarily toward the beginning of the conceptual process. After that, he says, "it's much more economical to explore designs in grayscale." So what is it that makes Asura tick, according to the ArenaNet's art department? They're "mad with ambition to harness the power of the planet, and they have all the best tools with which to do it." On a lighter note, today's update also features an Asura advice column filled to the brim with pearls of wisdom about everything from lemonade turrets to grawl-infested cabbage crops. Head to the official Guild Wars 2 website for the full Asura experience. Guild Wars 2's Asura Week continues with a look at environmental concepts originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

One Shots: A tough call Posted: 13 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Lord of the Rings Online, Free-to-play, One Shots Separate racial starting areas and zones aren't an uncommon theme in some MMOs, and in most cases they're all so well-crafted that it's hard to choose a favorite. Massively reader and Lord of the Rings Online fan Laura mentioned this in today's One Shots submission: Not that the entirety of LotRO isn't beautiful, but I'm really fond of Celondim, the Elf starting area. I was back there recently on my 65 Minstrel to complete deeds, and it's still one of the prettiest places in the game, with its beautiful docks and high cliffs and pink trees, plus the beautiful sky you find all over LotRO. It's starting zone week here at One Shots. First impressions are a big deal, so many developers put a lot into that first zone you see. Show us a screenshot of your favorite starting zone -- add your name and a little bit about the image, send it in to oneshots@massively.com, and we'll feature it in this week's One Shots! Gallery: One Shots: 2011 One Shots: A tough call originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dragons gone wild: Might and Magic: Heroes Kingdom's third season reveals all Posted: 13 Sep 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, Free-to-play, Browser The browser-based strategy MMO Might and Magic: Heroes Kingdom (winner of the "We want to write that title in a completely different order" award) has cracked a peek into its third season, and soon the doors will be flung wide open for all to see. Season three launches on Thursday, September 15th, and will introduce a host of new challenges for both PvE and PvP players. It appears that the air dragon Ylath has aroused from his slumber looking for a good meal while those nasty Dark Elves are on the prowl for an unprepared hero or two. Runic fortresses also have appeared out of thin air, begging players to battle over these swanky summer homes. Finally, fans of the title should enjoy the enhanced character customization coming with the update. The free-to-play title will add an in-game store with this update to help monetize the game. You can check out what we thought of the title with our First Impressions series. Dragons gone wild: Might and Magic: Heroes Kingdom's third season reveals all originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

MMObility: Online board games make for good mobile design Posted: 13 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, MMORTS, Humor, MMObility I'm proud of myself. The other day I was away from my phone and PC for nearly half an hour. Of course, I grabbed my phone in case I wanted to Tweet about the experience, but I decided to just leave it be. Sometimes, technology gets to be a bit much. After this record-breaking summer (and still no rain into the beginning of fall), I even found myself becoming mad at electricity. I found myself turning off fans or cable boxes to save a little bit here and there. I would get up earlier to walk the dogs and so I could enjoy some time with the door open and the air conditioners finally silent. I started to hate how much we need electricity. When those irrational thoughts hit me, I like to play a board or card game. A good board game can give you the same feelings of adventure or teamwork that any MMO can. Then I stumbled upon Ironhelmet Games' site and started to fall in love with its online games. The site gave me some good ideas about designing for mobile gamers. Click past the cut and let's discuss! Continue reading MMObility: Online board games make for good mobile design MMObility: Online board games make for good mobile design originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Soapbox: Why MMO combat sucks, and how BioWare could've made it suck less Posted: 13 Sep 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, New titles, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. I hate MMORPG combat. It's not because I'm a carebear. It's not because I'm bad at it. It's not because I dislike parsing, being a min/maxer, or solving equations and comparing spreadsheets when I'm supposed to be having fun. OK, maybe it is because of those last four things. Mainly, though, it's because MMORPG combat completely and unequivocally sucks. MMORPG combat is not combat. It's high school math. And it's the same in every damn MMORPG. Twenty years into the genre here, guys, aren't we ready to grow up even a little bit? Continue reading The Soapbox: Why MMO combat sucks, and how BioWare could've made it suck less The Soapbox: Why MMO combat sucks, and how BioWare could've made it suck less originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

SWTOR companions will have same-sex romance options... eventually Posted: 13 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic It's been debated across the MMO blogosphere and casually confirmed in interviews, but today it's been announced formally (and you know it's official because it's in yellow ink): Star Wars: The Old Republic's companion characters will not offer same-sex romance options -- at launch. But such relationships will be making an appearance sometime after launch. In a statement on the forums, SWTOR Senior Online Community Manager Stephen Reid posted the following: Due to the design constraints of a fully voiced MMO of this scale and size, many choices had to be made as to the launch and post-launch feature set. Same gender romances with companion characters in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be a post-launch feature. Because The Old Republic is an MMO, the game will live on through content expansions which allow us to include content and features that could not be included at launch, including the addition of more companion characters who will have additional romance options. (Emphasis ours.) This plan is certainly in line with other BioWare titles while setting it apart from other MMOs. Hopefully this option won't end up in the "never got around to it" bin like housing in a certain other MMO. SWTOR companions will have same-sex romance options... eventually originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Party with the Gods & Heroes devs in Austin Posted: 13 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Livestream, Miscellaneous Heatwave Interactive aims to seize the day -- Friday, October 14th, that is -- by offering players of Gods & Heroes a unique opportunity to visit the studio in person. Following the final day of GDC Austin, Heatwave's community team will offer 10 attendees the chance to spend an afternoon and evening touring the offices for "sneak previews" and a Q&A with various panels and team members, including CEO Anthony Castoro, the design team, the art team, the support team, and the community team. Guests will then participate with the devs in hosting a live Ustream chat, after which they'll enjoy the fruits of their labors (or more accurately, the meats) with a BBQ worthy of the gods. Interested parties can RSVP by email on the official site. Have fun! Party with the Gods & Heroes devs in Austin originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dragonica New Origin expansion coming September 20th Posted: 13 Sep 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons Dragonica is getting a new expansion, and the latest gPotato press release calls it the game's largest content update yet. September 20th is the big day, and the appropriately titled New Origin patch will feature new classes, new riding pets, a level cap increase (to 80), and new video resolution options. New dungeons are coming too, in the form of level 45 and 75 instances. Some of the old world maps have been redrawn as well, and gPotato says the redesign "[gives] the game a new and improved feel." The new classes take the form of the Shaman and the Amazonian, and there's also a new, as-yet unnamed race in the works. Finally, we've gotten our claws on the New Origin teaser trailer, and if you're in the mood for some CG, cute mounts, and fire-breathing dragons, you'll find all of that and more after the cut. [Source: gPotato press release] Continue reading Dragonica New Origin expansion coming September 20th Dragonica New Origin expansion coming September 20th originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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General gaming

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• TGS: Chun Soft's Boss is Bullish on Dragon Quest X
• TGS: Suda51 Shows Off New Games, New Shoes
• TGS: Sony Press Conference Roundup: Lots of Vita
• Metal Gear, Zone of the Enders HD Coming to Vita
• Final Fantasy X HD Remake Coming to Vita and PS3
• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a Vita Launch Game
• PlayStation Vita Debuts on December 17 in Japan
• Xbox Live Support in Windows 8 May Spell the End for GFW Live
• TGS: Japan Takes Its Dragon Quest Pretty Seriously
• All Things Red Dead Redemption Bundled Together for Game of the Year Edition

TGS: Chun Soft's Boss is Bullish on Dragon Quest X Posted: 14 Sep 2011 06:06 AM PDT If there seems to be an unusually dense concentration of Dragon Quest news on 1UP this week, that's because the series is highly visible around Tokyo at the moment due to the incipient release of a 25th anniversary collection of the first three titles in the series. And few people know Dragon Quest as well as Chun Soft president Kouichi Nakamura, who was one of the four main creators of the very first Dragon Quest back in 1986. While perhaps not as well known as designer Yuji Horii, composer Koichi Sugiyama, and artist Akira Toriyama, Nakamura was no less instrumental in the series' inception.

TGS: Suda51 Shows Off New Games, New Shoes Posted: 14 Sep 2011 05:40 AM PDT Grasshopper Manufacture's inimitable figurehead, producer Goichi Suda, hosted a small media event in Tokyo's Roppongi district tonight to show off the company's slate of upcoming titles in advance of their public demos at Tokyo Game Show. Though he wore the now-mandatory Japanese game developer uniform of a dark blazer, jeans, and a T-shirt, of course, he set them off with some incredibly classy footwear. His shoes were nice enough that the crowd was remarking on them even before he pointed them out. Luckily for him, the lineup on display was strong enough that his shoes weren't the highlight of the evening.

TGS: Sony Press Conference Roundup: Lots of Vita Posted: 14 Sep 2011 12:02 AM PDT Unlike Nintendo's pre-Tokyo Game Show event last night, Sony's ran in excess of an hour and very, very little in the way of gameplay footage from any games was shown. Despite being heavily focused on Vita, with a number of new titles being announced and previously-known ones being discussed, it was largely logos and box art that were displayed on-screen. The big news was that Vita will be out on December 17 in Japan. In terms of software, we now know Vita is getting Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 at launch and HD remakes of Final Fantasy X (also coming to PS3), Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3, and Zone of the Enders 1 and 2. Beyond what we've already covered, there wasn't a whole lot of newsworthy information shared. Sony employees talked up Vita and a number of noteworthy Japanese developers (like Hideo Kojima and Yoshinori Ono) came to the stage to talk about various projects, mainly those tackled in the stories linked to above. We did get a demonstration of some Vita features, including a far-too-long look at how the initial system setup works. (Scrolling through a list of years with the touchscreen, whee!) New red and blue colors for the PlayStation 3 were announced, along with a new PSP that's colored both red and black. This was a Japanese-focused event, so don't consider on any of that as being guaranteed for release abroad.

Metal Gear, Zone of the Enders HD Coming to Vita Posted: 13 Sep 2011 10:27 PM PDT Hideo Kojima had a lot of good news for future Vita owners tonight at Sony's TGS event: a number of his games are being brought to the new handheld in HD. That includes Metal Gear Solid 2 and MGS3, both coming to the system in the MGS HD Edition in 2012. This is in addition to the HD Editions that are headed to 360 and PS3, which also include an upgraded version of Peace Walker. Another beloved Kojima series, Zone of the Enders, won't be ignoring Vita either. Both ZOE 1 and 2 are coming to Vita next year in HD.

Final Fantasy X HD Remake Coming to Vita and PS3 Posted: 13 Sep 2011 10:12 PM PDT It may not be the Final Fantasy many were hoping for (that'd be VII), but Square Enix did announce an HD remake for one of the series' titles: Final Fantasy X. Intended to celebrate the game's 10-year anniversary (believe it or not, it came out in 2001 on PlayStation 2 in Japan and North America), the game will get an HD makeover for both PlayStation 3 and Vita. Details were not forthcoming, so except for its existence, we don't really know anything about the project.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a Vita Launch Game Posted: 13 Sep 2011 10:00 PM PDT Although he wasn't there to talk about specifics -- he spent his time talking about the previously-announced Vita version of Street Fighter X Tekken -- Capcom's Yoshinori Ono announced at Sony's TGS event tonight that Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is coming to Vita. The game was announced for 360 and PS3 earlier this summer, much to the chagrin of those who had already spent full price on vanilla Marvel vs. Capcom 3. This might make up for that to some extent, as the ability to take another full-on fighting game like this on the go sounds pretty sweet. And not only is the game coming to Vita, Ono said UMvC3 will be a launch title on the new handheld, which was just dated. The game will be playable at Capcom's booth on the TGS show floor, so expect to hear more about it very soon.

PlayStation Vita Debuts on December 17 in Japan Posted: 13 Sep 2011 09:27 PM PDT The first thing of real note to come up in Sony's TGS event tonight is a release date for its next handheld, the PlayStation Vita -- it'll be out in about three months' time. A December 17 release date was revealed tonight, at the same 29,980 yen ($390) price for the 3G model and 24,980 yen ($325) price for the Wi-Fi-only model we had heard previously. It was noted that Sony has "received positive feedback from users" in response to the price, so it looks as if it'll stick it out rather than trying to compete with 3DS at its new low price. It was also announced that the 3G service will work with NTT DoCoMo in Japan. A 20-hour prepaid data plan will cost 980 yen (almost $13), and a 100-hour plan will cost 4,980 yen (almost $65).

Xbox Live Support in Windows 8 May Spell the End for GFW Live Posted: 13 Sep 2011 06:24 PM PDT We've heard that gaming will be more prominently featured in Microsoft's next operating system, and it looks like one way it plans to accomplish that is by introducing Xbox Live support. Major Nelson brought word earlier today that Windows 8 supports Xbox Live in the form of 'Xbox Live on Windows.' There wasn't much in the way of details offered about it, though he did say, "We have much more detail to share about the capabilities of Xbox LIVE on Windows and look forward to the opportunity to do so in the near future." The screenshot above shows what Xbox Live looks like on Windows 8. You'll be able to access videos, games, and music, and Avatars are present. The existing Xbox Live integration with Windows is contained exclusively to the Games for Windows Live client and an in-game overlay for Live-enabled games; what impact this will have on the client going forward is unknown.

TGS: Japan Takes Its Dragon Quest Pretty Seriously Posted: 13 Sep 2011 05:26 PM PDT I know it's a cliché, but sometimes there's truth in such tripe: Japan loves its Dragon Quest. Outside of Mario and Monster Hunter, no other game franchise holds quite so much power over the gaming masses -- and like Mario, it's a sway that commands more than just the teenager set. Love for Dragon Quest is a nostalgic thing for Japanese adults. And while Monster Hunter may be dominating the headlines for the moment, Dragon Quest is far more pervasive on the street thanks to a rash of billboards, in-store signs, and other advertising for the Dragon Quest I - II - III Anniversary Collection launching here tomorrow. These same ad spaces were filled with ads for Super Mario All-Stars last year at this time, which handily summarizes the relative cultural domination these series possess.

All Things Red Dead Redemption Bundled Together for Game of the Year Edition Posted: 13 Sep 2011 01:17 PM PDT Red Dead Redemption won plenty of awards last year, including many Game of the Years -- 1UP named it best action/adventure game, best expansion (for Undead Nightmare), and Game of the Year. A full year and a half after it was first released, Rockstar will finally bring out a Game of the Year edition that's packed with content. In addition to the game itself, the package comes with every bit of DLC that's been released. That includes all of the big releases like Undead Nightmare right down to to the brand-new Myths and Mavericks bonus pack (available to RDR players now). It also contains the pre-order goodies you may have missed out on from before the game was released in May 2010. You can count on getting one new thing: the hardcore single-player difficulty. Beyond that, those who have already invested a good deal of money in the game and its DLC won't find much here, with the exception of 360 players getting the Solomon's Folly gang hideout and challenges for the first time.

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MMORPG News

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• PlanetSide 2: Live Stream Chat Scheduled for September 15
• Guild Wars 2: Hey Bookah Column Debuts
• World of Warcraft: Site Updates Include Firelands Raid Changes
• Rift: Old Spice & Dancing

PlanetSide 2: Live Stream Chat Scheduled for September 15 Posted: 12 Sep 2011 06:22 PM PDT Fans of PlanetSide 2 will definitely want to pencil in September 15th to attend a live streaming chat with the development team. Hosted by Linda "Brasse" Carlson, the chat will be hosted at Stickam.com beginning at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 15th.

Guild Wars 2: Hey Bookah Column Debuts Posted: 13 Sep 2011 04:43 PM PDT The Guild Wars 2 team continues Asura Week with a new "Hey Bookah" column that runs along similar lines to Mad Magazine's "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions". If anyone can give an answer guaranteed to make someone feel rather inferior, it's an Asura!

World of Warcraft: Site Updates Include Firelands Raid Changes Posted: 13 Sep 2011 01:31 PM PDT The World of Warcraft site is featuring a pair of updates of interest to players. The first centers around the Firelands Raid and upcoming changes. The second is a first look at the Druid Tier 13 armor as well as a retrospective look back at other armors.

Rift: Old Spice & Dancing Posted: 13 Sep 2011 12:49 PM PDT The Rift development team has sent out a pair of videos to tickle your funny bone. The first gives a Telaran take on the Old Spice commercials for a new Ascend a Friend promotion. The second shows a bit of cuttin' the rug in Telara After Dark.

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