MMO Updates |
- Blade & Soul's Dragon Forest zone showcased in 35-minute video
- Luvinia Online leaps into launch
- Salem livestream set for September 27th
- Massively Exclusive: World of Darkness interview
- This Week In MMO: Rated M for mature edition
- The Daily Grind: Are you a critter-killer?
- New bounty rewards coming to Dark Age of Camelot
- Celebrate five years of Rappelz starting today
- Choose My Adventure: Seriia vs. the Guardians
- Newest producer's letter for Final Fantasy XIV talks patch release
- Massively Speaking Episode 166
- The first part of the first signature arc now available for City of Heroes
- Massively interviews Jagex on RuneScape's clan citadels
- Free for All: Massively single-player does not an MMO make
- 9Dragons roundhouse-kicks into North American launch
- One Shots: Electrobit City
- Massively Exclusive: ArcheAge's Jake Song on consensual PvP, inflation, and more
- Mytheon closing up shop
- WildStar explores its Nexus
- Black Prophecy escalates the species war with Episode 2
- New LotRO screens and video feature Orthanc, Isengard action
- Massively's exclusive TERA lore: A day in the life of a Naga Clawrider
- Global Agenda's Recursive Colony launches
- Why Microsoft is 'the MMO graveyard'
| Blade & Soul's Dragon Forest zone showcased in 35-minute video Posted: 22 Sep 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Blade & Soul  The whopping 35-minute clip takes viewers on a journey through the game's Dragon Forest zone from the recent Korean closed beta phases. The zone provides content through level 20 and features a remarkably diverse set of environments despite the fact that its name conjures images of your typical fantasy wood. There is quite a bit of forest footage, of course, but there are also long stretches of pristine beach set off by towering cliffs, quaint fishing villages, spectacular waterfalls, and an archetypal dojo complete with dragon-adorned columns and various acolytes. The video is blessedly free of the modern rock soundtracks that typically accompany fan-made uploads, and instead features snippets of Blade & Soul's original orchestral soundtrack. Feast your eyes (and ears) after the cut. Continue reading Blade & Soul's Dragon Forest zone showcased in 35-minute video
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| Luvinia Online leaps into launch Posted: 22 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, Free-to-play  Outspark's Philip Yun announced that the level cap has been increased to 78, and welcomed all of the game's supporters: "We had a great open beta and everything is coming along as expected for this exceptional MMORPG. We thank all of the players that helped out with the closed and open betas and are happy that we can finally bring the full experience of Luvinia Online to our large and eager player base." Unlike many MMO launches, players' beta characters were not wiped with the release but rolled over onto the live servers instead. With Luvinia's launch comes the opening of the in-game store, which will try to tempt players with costumes, mounts, and XP boosts in order to finance this free-to-play title. [Source: Outspark press release]
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| Salem livestream set for September 27th Posted: 22 Sep 2011 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Livestream, Sandbox, Crafting  Salem is a free-to-play browser-based MMORPG that takes place in a fantastical New England, and though the game has its share of "light-hearted gothic" elements and "a charming and cute art style," it also has quite a dark side in terms of hardcore mechanics and dangerous creatures based on colonial folklore.
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| Massively Exclusive: World of Darkness interview Posted: 22 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Horror, Culture, Events, real-world, Interviews, New titles, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage, World of Darkness, Miscellaneous  Shane Defreest, the Community Developer for CCP North America and White Wolf Publishing, was kind enough to take the time out of his hectic schedule to answer a few of our questions relating to the game. He sheds a bit of light on World of Darkness, discussing the choice of setting, player factions and playable clans, the business model, and how he views the experience of the game. Enjoy! Continue reading Massively Exclusive: World of Darkness interview
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| This Week In MMO: Rated M for mature edition Posted: 22 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Video, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, The Secret World, Humor, World of Darkness, DC Universe Online, TERA, Miscellaneous  First up, Gary, Shawn, and Rubi run through the topic of the mature rating in MMOs such as CCP's World of Darkness. Then our intrepid hosts guide us through the magical and technological starting zone for the Asura in Guild Wars 2. Also, saving Metropolis just became cheaper -- free, in fact! Shawn and Rubi discuss DC Universe Online hitting the free-to-play market. Where is the future of MMO-subscription models going? Freemium? When Shawn spoke to SOE President John Smedley, Smed certainly favored it. Moving on to another action-based game, Rubi reveals TERA's PR speak within its endgame Q&A statements, and Shawn admits that the small raid size in The Secret World isn't quite big enough for him. Catch all that and more in the full Gamebreaker.TV video after the break! Continue reading This Week In MMO: Rated M for mature edition
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| The Daily Grind: Are you a critter-killer? Posted: 22 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous  What did that bunny ever do to you? Does the thought that a baby deer might be roaming the forest without a care in the world weigh heavily on your conscience? How dare that level 1 penguin show his cute little face in your leveling zone! Adorable miniature turtles in your heroic dungeon must be smashed with a large warhammer; crit numbers must be pasted in chat with glee. You'll endanger your instance-mates and risk aggro to flatten that newbie rat the devs added for atmosphere. Forget cow-tipping: You won't be satisfied until you've slaughtered the entire grey-con bovine population and seen that sweet, sweet achievement pop-up. Does this sound like you? Are you, in fact, a critter-killer? And what drives you to such action?  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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| New bounty rewards coming to Dark Age of Camelot Posted: 21 Sep 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Game mechanics, Patches, News items  The equipment available isn't meant to just be good -- it's pre-templated and should bring characters close to the apex of their abilities. The goal, obviously, is to help players feel rewarded for their participation in the game. But the diary also goes into detail about more enhancements to gameplay, including new epic events surrounding quest hubs and new teleporters to give players easy access to battlegrounds. It's a laundry list of improvements for DAoC, a clear sign that even though the past few months have been a bit quiet for the game, development hasn't abated.
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| Celebrate five years of Rappelz starting today Posted: 21 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Rappelz, News items, Free-to-play  The experience boost will last until October 5th and is just the tip of the iceberg for a series of events that lead up to the game's true anniversary of November 2nd. Players can also take part in a video contest to show off their in-game pets, with the winners receiving gaming headsets and one grand prize winner getting a free bundle of cash in the game's shop. Rappelz players are going to have a couple of months to enjoy all of the celebrations, so if you've been itching to log back in of late, now is the time.
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| Choose My Adventure: Seriia vs. the Guardians Posted: 21 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, PvP, Opinion, Choose My Adventure, RIFT  The burden of the grind is not the only thing I would like to talk about this week. I also did some extensive PvP before I hit level 20. In fact, I hit level 20 while I was in the Black Garden. That gave me a chuckle. After the break, I have laid out my whole level 10 to 20 PvP experience. Perhaps that will lighten the mood of this somber article. This might be my second-to-last article for Choose My Adventure, but there is still time to get some last-minute rifting done before I sign off. And... umm... can I get a rez, please? Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Seriia vs. the Guardians
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| Newest producer's letter for Final Fantasy XIV talks patch release Posted: 21 Sep 2011 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV  Patch 1.19 is heavily anticipated by players, bringing with it chocobos, new content, and a variety of other systems. And not only is Yoshida planning to release the notes for said patch early, but the letter also hints at another major update -- the addition of another 100 item slots for characters and 50 more for each retainer, greatly expanding each individual's storage capacity. While the letter also notes that the patch may be delayed by a few days depending on the final round of testing, it should be enough for FFXIV players to see that the team is hard at work on the patch.
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| Massively Speaking Episode 166 Posted: 21 Sep 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Podcasts, News items, Opinion, Massively meta, Humor, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous  Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to shawn@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes. [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes.  Massively Speaking is the official podcast of Massively.com. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Shawn Schuster and Community Manager Rubi Bayer, Massively Speaking takes on the week's biggest news and dev interviews with plenty of opinion, rants, and laughs thrown in for good measure. Join us every Wednesday afternoon to listen in and see what we'll say next!Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 166
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The first part of the first signature arc now available for City of Heroes Posted: 21 Sep 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Lore, Patches, News items, Free-to-play  So what was the process behind the arc? As is often the case these days, Paragon Studios has furnished players with a new installment of the Intrepid Informer with more details on what the arcs entail and the major challenges of design. To the surprise of almost no one, the biggest issue that the designers faced was the simple question of relevance -- making sure that players felt important as they played through an arc focusing on the life and death of several NPCs. How successfully that goal was met remains to be seen, but CoH players can judge the first installment on its own merits right now.
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| Massively interviews Jagex on RuneScape's clan citadels Posted: 21 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Interviews, PvP, Endgame, RuneScape, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual  The Clan Citadels update changed all that by introducing the infrastructure clans need to support their in-game endeavours. Clans can now build huge floating cities to be used as a place to meet, throw parties and discuss organisation. The expansion was sweetened by the addition of a completely new free-form battlefield creator, allowing players to develop custom minigames with hand-designed maps. Clans can even invite other players to their battlefields or challenge other clans to a match on their own terms. Massively recently caught up with two of the developers behind the Clan Citadels expansion to find out how it has been received by players and what we can expect in the future. In this in-depth interview, Senior Content Developer Ashleigh Bridges delves into RuneScape's innovative battlefield creator and Senior Game Designer Chihiro Yamada gives us the lowdown on the future of clan content. Continue reading Massively interviews Jagex on RuneScape's clan citadels
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| Free for All: Massively single-player does not an MMO make Posted: 21 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business models, Opinion, Browser, Virtual worlds, Free for All, Miscellaneous  Nintendo seems to think that "Massively Single-Player" makes for a good description. It's a slightly odd one, if you ask me, for many reasons. But let's look at it anyway and see how it might fit into the world of MMOs. Click past the cut! Continue reading Free for All: Massively single-player does not an MMO make
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| 9Dragons roundhouse-kicks into North American launch Posted: 21 Sep 2011 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, 9Dragons, Events, in-game, Launches, News items, Free-to-play  It's been a long, winding road for martial arts MMO 9Dragons. The game was dropped by GamersFirst, then picked up once more by GamesCampus. Then, GamersFirst pulled something miraculous and brought players' old characters back to life in time for the transition. Now, after some trials and tribulations, the game has gone live. According to a press release from GamesCampus, the game is officially launched and all account transfers initiated prior to 9 p.m. PDT on Tuesday are finalized. Other players who wish to transfer their previous accounts can do so at any time, and those transfers will be finalized with the next Tuesday evening's maintenance. To celebrate the game's launch, the game is hosting a series of events beginning now and lasting until October 13th. All 9Dragons players, be they new or old, will receive a premium gift package that includes a Hat Trading Card and a Special Epithet. There are also a few in-game events, such as a special game-wide buff and a quest that will reward players with event-only prizes. To get in on all the House of Flying Daggers-style action, just head over to the 9Dragons official site and sign up. [Source: GamesCampus press release]
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| Posted: 21 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Second Life, One Shots, Virtual worlds  This is not something you see every day, kind of like a tribute within a game. I thought I'd submit this very cool picture from Second Life. It is an aerial view of a player-created sim called Electrobit City. I thought it was just awesome.We're all about looking up this week on One Shots! Show us your favorite aerial image -- whether it be taken from the ground looking up or from atop a high-flying mount or tall perch, we want to see! 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! Next week we're throwing the ball back to you. There's no theme and no requirement; just send us your favorite screenshots and tell us why you love them. Ready, set, go!
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| Massively Exclusive: ArcheAge's Jake Song on consensual PvP, inflation, and more Posted: 21 Sep 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Economy, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items, ArcheAge, Sandbox, Crafting  Lead designer Jake Song was kind enough to field a few of our burning questions, and we're pleased to present you with another Massively ArcheAge exclusive that touches on everything from localization and story to consensual PvP and item decay. Join us after the break for that and more. Continue reading Massively Exclusive: ArcheAge's Jake Song on consensual PvP, inflation, and more
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| Posted: 21 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Free-to-play, Mytheon  In the sole announcement on the Mytheon forums, the team posted a note that the game would be spinning down starting this past July 27th in preparation for a final shutdown at an undisclosed date in the near future. Players can no longer register for the game nor download it. Mytheon planned to launch in 2010 but was kept in beta testing far past the projected release date. This announcement ends on a bittersweet note: "Finally, we'd like to send out a huge thank you to all our players who've joined us on this journey. Keep challenging fate, The Mytheon Team." [Thanks to Paul for the tip!]
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| Posted: 21 Sep 2011 12:45 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, New titles, Dev Diaries, WildStar  Robeardo had to call on the talents of Narrative Designer Chad Moore to assist him in the developer blog. Moore explains that Nexus was once the home of the Eldan, an ancient, advanced race that disappeared from the galaxy over a thousand years ago, leaving behind all of its technology to rot. Part of the excitement for the player is exploring the planet and unearthing artifacts. Moore explains further: The rusting wrecks of giant robots lie half-buried in shifting desert sands, and strange and deadly alien creatures prowl in the shadows of extraordinary monolithic machines. And hidden among all of these wonders are the dark secrets of the Eldan themselves, and the answers to why they disappeared from planet Nexus so long ago.WildStar is locking in the explorer type of MMO player, and we at Massively will keep our eyes out to see if it hopes to hook the social, killer, and achiever types, too.
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| Black Prophecy escalates the species war with Episode 2 Posted: 21 Sep 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, PvP, Free-to-play, Black Prophecy  Episode 2: Species War takes PvP to a much more intense place, as players will be encouraged to duke it out for the control of strategic locations in space. By pulling up the warzone tab, ship captains can identify where the contested borders are and zip right over to them. Up to 200 players can engage in a single warzone, pursuing multiple objectives with the ultimate goal of capturing the command center. By participating, players will not only earn honor points, but XP and loot as well. Black Prophecy is adding rare blueprints that can be purchased with these honor points. The update addresses the game balance in several ways, such as equalizing the benefit of shields and hulls. Players will receive a free skill reset because of the changes. To celebrate Episode 2's release, gamigo is throwing two consecutive bonus PvP XP weeks, from September 21st through October 6th.
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| New LotRO screens and video feature Orthanc, Isengard action Posted: 21 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Video, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries  Lord of the Rings fans will be pleased to know that Turbine has recreated Orthanc to Tolkien's specifications according to DeMelle, and the new expansion will offer plenty of geek moments including the opportunity to rub elbows with luminaries like Gandalf and Wormtongue and to get a glimpse of Saruman's famous palantir. Head past the cut for the video diary, and don't forget to peruse our LotRO gallery below. [Source: Turbine press release] Continue reading New LotRO screens and video feature Orthanc, Isengard action
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| Massively's exclusive TERA lore: A day in the life of a Naga Clawrider Posted: 21 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Lore, Previews, Races, TERA, Dev Diaries  Don't take our word for it -- skip past the cut and let Silvatuhr himself fill you in. Continue reading Massively's exclusive TERA lore: A day in the life of a Naga Clawrider
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| Global Agenda's Recursive Colony launches Posted: 21 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, Global Agenda, Dungeons  To kick off patch day and show off the highlights of the update, Hi-Rez has released a brand-new trailer with a satisfying blend of explosions, robots, and yellowy post-apocalyptic zones. Find it after the cut! Continue reading Global Agenda's Recursive Colony launches
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| Why Microsoft is 'the MMO graveyard' Posted: 21 Sep 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, Miscellaneous  Citing MMOs such as Mythica and True Fantasy Live Online as evidence, CVG says that Microsoft's "inflexibility" became the company's biggest obstacle to seeing a title through to launch. Instead, MMO after MMO was canceled, transferred to other companies, or promised and forgotten. CVG says that there is enough evidence to suggest that Microsoft is unsure and afraid of the MMO model, and instead of doing its best to be accommodating to such projects, the company made it all but impossible for original projects or PC ports to come to fruition. The article is a fascinating overview of the games and issues involved in Microsoft's approach to the MMO market, and ends with a handful of "hopefuls" that will prove that console MMOs can be done, and done well.
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