MMO News

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• Atlantica Online releases At the Gates
• Brick-Force Gameplay – First Look HD
• Seven Souls Online
• Nexus Conflict
• Elsword introduces new client and content
• RaiderZ announces alpha

Atlantica Online releases At the Gates Posted: 02 Mar 2012 02:18 PM PST “At The Gates” is the newest update to arrive in Nexon’s Atlantica Online. The update introduces a new dungeon, Yggdrasil’s Three Gateways. Here, players must defend the gateways against enemies that are scaled to the character’s skill level. The dungeon may be entered through the World Tree’s Trunk with the World Tree Gateway Key. Players who complete the dungeon quickly will get bonus rewards, and a special event is being held to reward players for trying the new dungeon, including Atlas Ore, Yggdrasil’s Treasure, and a weekend buff for a server. In the Oriharukon Mines on Titan, players can now send expeditions and mercenaries to battle rival expeditions for control of the mine in the Excavation Expeditions, so long as they are in a guild and own a “My Home.” The update also introduces the Momentum EXP system, where players can gain additional experience by battling specific monsters, and then select how to distribute it among their mercenaries. Finally, Valkyrie, an A Grade Mercenary has been introduced; Deadly Machines can be summoned in PvP; and new adjustments have been made to Competition. Nexon also publishes Dragon Nest and Dungeon Fighter Online. Atlantica Online: At the Gates Update Screenshots Source: Defend the Three Gateways for Great Prizes in "Atlantica Online" 'At the Gates' update introduces dungeon that scales to players' level Nexon America's latest update to "Atlantica Online" has introduced a new dungeon, as well as the Excavation Expedition, Momentum EXP System, and more. Players can now enter the game and explore Yggdrasil's Three Gateways dungeon and experience entirely new elements of combat and win prizes and treasure in the process. Yggdrasil's Three Gateways dungeon gives players an opportunity to defend the Three Gateways against adversaries and battle at their individual skill level. First of its kind, this Nation Dungeon's monsters automatically adjust in difficulty based on the character's skill level. Players of all levels are welcome to enter Yggdrasil's dungeon through World Tree's Trunk with the World Tree Gateway Key. Those who are quick to complete the three-tiered dungeon will receive bonus rewards. In addition, the "Race to Yggdrasil's Three Gateways" event that is currently running promises prizes of Atlas Ore, Yggdrasil's Treasure, and a generous weekend buff for an entire server. Atlantians looking to yield more deposits in the Oriharukon Mines on Titan can now send their expeditions, or mercenaries, to battle rival guild expeditions for control of the mines. Players that are in a guild and own a "My Home" will be able to participate in the newly added Excavation Expeditions. Victors of the expedition battles win control of the Oriharukon Mine and its resources for their guild. In addition to the new automatically adjusting dungeon and Excavation Expeditions, the "At the Gates" Update has also introduced a Momentum EXP System that gives players the opportunity to earn and accumulate more EXP. As players battle specific monsters, they accumulate EXP and can select the distribution among their mercenaries. With this update, players can now recruit Valkyrie, an A Grade Mercenary. Player versus player battles have also been given a boost, as players are able to summon a Deadly Machine to aid in battle. Various adjustments have been made to Competition, and battling other players has never been more exciting. To learn more about the "At the Gates" Update in "Atlantica Online" and to explore the new additions, visit: https://atlantica.nexon.net.

Brick-Force Gameplay – First Look HD Posted: 02 Mar 2012 01:51 PM PST To Learn More About the Game, Check out our Brick-Force Page (not up yet). Brick-Force is a 3D MMOFPS published by Infernum.  It is a sandbox style shooter where users can build maps and then play in them with friends and others online. It is somewhat comparable to Ace of Spades. To learn more about BrickForce check out the official MMOHut Brick-Force page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Seven Souls Online Posted: 02 Mar 2012 01:16 PM PST Seven Souls Online is a 3D Fantasy MMORPG set in the mythical lands of Neha. Chose from three classes, each with access to three different weapon types. Seven Souls Online boasts powerful graphics, and amazing skill animations. Publisher: Neowiz Playerbase: Medium Graphics: High Quality Type: MMORPG EXP Rate: Low PvP: Duels / Territory Wars / Battlefields Filesize: ~2300 MB Pros: +Good crafting system. +Take over and control regions / towns. +Sleek interface. +Great graphics and skill animations. +In depth character customization. Cons: -Poor English translations. -Only three playable classes. -Classes are gender locked. Overview Seven Souls Online Overview Seven Souls Online, also known as Martial Empires Online, is set in the Asian themed world of Neha. PvP plays a large role in Martial Empires, players can join guilds and conquer entire regions in the game in massive PvP battles across huge maps. The game also has many dungeons and raid bosses that require large groups to defeat. Designed by the same studio behind the similarly titled Martial Heroes, Martial Empires has great visuals, an easy to use interface, and well paced progression. Mage (Male) – Powerful spellcasters with access to a variety of nukes, mesmerizes, and area of effect spells. They are vulnerable in melee combat due to their low health and defense. Scythe - Characterized by various curse skills that immobilize the enemy or inflict damage over time. Wheel - Represents mobility. Wheel skills give the mage a chance to restore a small amount of MP with each attack. Sword – Includes counterattack and shield related skills. Sword skills also provide a chance to restore some SP. Warrior (Male) – Warriors are tough melee characters that can both absorb large amounts of damage and dish it out. They have by far the most hit points and armor in the game. Heavy Sword - Characterized by charging skills with a chance of inflicting bonus damage. Axe - Allows the use of skills that pull or push surrounding enemies with a chance of draining a percent of their health. Spear - This weapon choice allows for area of effect and stun related skills. Ranger (Female) - An extremely versatile class. Rangers can specialize towards very different paths. The only female class so far available in Martial Empires. Dagger - The weapon of choice for Rangers pursuing stealth and fast attack speed. Claw - Provides skills that lower the target’s combat capabilities. Claws also deal damage over time (DOT) Bow - Ranged weapon with skills that slow the movement of enemies. Also provides the Ranger with evasion. Seven Souls Online Screenshots Seven Souls Online Featured Video Click here to view the embedded video. Full Review Seven Souls Online Review Note: The review below is for Martial Empires, a version of Seven Souls Online for the Europe region. By, Erhan Altay Martial Empires is a high quality free to play MMORPG set in the Oriental themed world of Neha. It was developed by the same studio behind Martial Heroes, but offers vast improvements on all fronts. Explore lush environments, complete hundreds of quests, take part in large PvP battles, and fight powerful bosses with allies. Triple Entente The German gaming portal Gamigo publishes Martial Empires in the West and its service is accessible from North America with no discernible latency issues. Gamigo uses an odd account creation method where players have to sign up for an account, activate each individual game, and chose login details for that particular game. Players will have plenty of time to sort through it while downloading the heft 2.3 GB client. After installation, the character creation process may look underwhelming at first but players are in for quite a surprise. There are only three classes to chose from in Martial Empires, and they are all gender locked. The Mage and Warrior are male while the Ranger is female. Each class has three weapon specializations represented by their own talent tree. This helps up the possible character types to nine but still feels underwhelming. Luckily, a forth class slot is shown but with a question mark as its portrait. Perhaps a fourth class is already in the works. Playing Dress Up While the class choices may be underwhelming, the level of appearance customization helps pick up the slack. There are 10-15 color options for hair, skin, eye, and clothing. A dozen sliders control body shape while dozens more control facial features such as eye size, location, and shape. The options available may not be quite as extensive as those in Perfect World, but it sure comes close. The infamous 'chest' slider makes an appearance, but only for the female class of course. After playing around for several minutes, I tested the 'random' feature which yielded some interesting results including Green skinned Hulk-like brutes, Smurfs, and tall amazon warriors. Welcome to Caeles New players start their journey in North Caeles, near the gates of the Caeles Palace. There is no formal tutorial, but a series of short explanatory prompts can be viewed by clicking a flashing question mark near the bottom right of the screen. Additionally, a menu prompt will highlight new features to look forward to each time a character levels. Players will immediately notice the high quality graphics. The engine is a bit similar to the one used in Tales of Fantasy, but Martial Empires is much smoother. Despite being developed by a Korean studio, the progression and interface in Martial Empires feels more like that of a Western MMORPG. There's no auto-navigation here. Instead, dotted blue lines show new players the path to quest objectives. This feature disappears after a few levels, but players can still consult the map for quest markers. Martial Empires supports both click to move and keyboard movement. Both methods feel fluid, and all keyboard keys are customizable. Suricat Surprise Many subtle effects come together to give Martial Empires a unique atmosphere. The background music, skill animations, and other sound effects all contribute. When players run low on health, the edges of the screen will turn red and the sound of a heart beat can be heard. Another surprise is the game's lowest level enemy, the Suricat. These small furry creatures make silly noises and actively run up to players and dance in front of them. They are not challenging to defeat, but like the poring from Ragnarok Online or mongbat from Ultima Online, they add flavor to the game world. Quests play a vital role in leading players from area to the next, and eventually from one map to another. Delivery, and kill quests are prevalent, but Martial Empires spices it up with short cutscenes and scenarios. One NPC asks players to put the ghost of his three daughters to rest, while another quest requires players to kill a zombie that raises nearby corpses. The game world is currently a mere 18 maps including cities, but each area is packed with quests and places to explore. Gambling for Experience The experience rate in Martial Empires is much lower than the rates found in other Asian themed MMORPGs released around the same time such as Battle of the Immortals or Kingdom Heroes. Players receive a single skill point per level, but several will accumulate before level prerequisites are met. Starting at level 25, players receive one stat point which they can allocate among five stats: Str, Agi, Vit, Int, and Dex. There are some fun gameplay gimmicks thrown in to keep things interesting though. By killing monsters and completing quests, players earn 'points' which can be used to spin a slot machine like devise located on the top left of the screen. Players can gamble for a chance to win items, temporary buffs, gold coins, or experience points. The slot wheels spin even while fighting, and there's nothing else to do with these jackpot points so don't be afraid to gamble! Another interesting feature is the rage bar towards the bottom left of the screen. When this bar fills, players can click on it to temporarily transform into a demon and enjoy a combat buff. A similar feature is found in Silkroad Online, but the one in Martial Empires looks even cooler. Picking Flowers No modern MMORPG would be complete without a crafting and resource gathering system. In Martial Empires there are three gathering skills: Herb picking, fishing, and mining. Each skill requires a special tool that can be purchased from a training NPC. Various fishing spots, mineral veins, and harvestable bushes are scattered across the world. When these resources are gathered, a slot wheel will spin to show the results of the harvest. The items gathered, along with those found off monsters can be crafted into gear at town using anvils. Another crafting related feature is the Cube. Similar to the Horadric cube, the cube in Martial Empires allows players to combine, disassemble, or copy items placed inside of it. Once players enter maps designed for characters level 25 and up, they can put away the flowers and focus on PvP. Level 25+ zones allow open player killing, but killing too many innocent characters comes with penalties. Open world PvP is viable, but Martial Empires also provides several Battlegrounds instances. Some of these battlefields are actually cooperative. In 'Phantom War' a team of players work together to defend against a horde of monsters. Competitive modes include Arena Battle, Legion of Towers, and tournaments. No More Ports Despite offering only three classes and suffering from some minor pathing issues, Martial Empires genuinely feels like a new game. Many free to play MMOs and MMORPGs released in North America and Europe are in reality older titles from Asia. Martial Empires, known in Korea as Seven Souls Online, was localized much faster which means we can all enjoy it while its fresh. Final Verdict: Great Martial Empires is one of the best Asian themed MMORPGs currently available. While it doesn't stray too far from the traditional MMORPG mold, the level of polish help Martial Empires stand out from the crowd. Screenshots Seven Souls Online Screenshots 123456► Videos Seven Souls Online Videos Seven Souls Online Official Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. Seven Souls Online Gameplay – First Look Click here to view the embedded video. Links Seven Souls Online Links Seven Souls Online Official Site System Requirements Seven Souls Online System Requirements Minimum Requirements: OS: Windows XP / Vista / 2000 CPU: 2.4 GHz Pentium 4 RAM: 1024 MB (1GB) Free HDD: 5 GB Free Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce 6600 or Radeon x1300 Recommended Specifications: OS: Windows XP / Vista / 2000 CPU: 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo RAM: 2048 MB (2GB) Free HDD: 5 GB Free Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce 8600 or Radeon x3600

Nexus Conflict Posted: 02 Mar 2012 12:59 PM PST Set in the world of Black Prophecy, Nexus Conflict is a browser based strategy game focused on commanding your own armada. After humans discover technology allowing them to travel beyond the speed of light, they discover a place called the Nexus, where universes collide. Begin your path to conquest with a simple, small ship, and rise through the ranks to own the stars with your mighty fleet! Publisher: gamigo Playerbase: ?? Graphics: High Type: Browser-based Strategy EXP Rate: ?? PvP: RTS Conquering Filesize: N/A Pros: +High quality graphics. +Variety of ships to build. +Large scale battles. Cons:  -Mandatory PvP. -Limited information available. Overview Nexus Conflict Overview Nexus Conflict is set prior to the events of Black Prophecy, and revolves around two factions trying to control the Nexus — the place where universes collide. The game features amazing graphics for a browser based RPG, thanks in part to the Unity engine. Players can build and upgrade new ships to engage in various combat missions, ranging from solo to team-based play, complete with roles such as tank, healer or DPS. Nexus Conflict Screenshots Nexus Conflict Featured Video Click here to view the embedded video. Full Review Nexus Conflict Full Review Coming Soon… Screenshots Nexus Conflict Screenshots Coming Soon… Videos Nexus Conflict Videos Nexus Conflict Official Announcement Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. Links Nexus Conflict Links Official Game Page System Requirements Nexus Conflict System Requirements Coming Soon…

Elsword introduces new client and content Posted: 02 Mar 2012 12:32 PM PST Kill3rCombo has launched new content for Elsword, plus a new streaming client. All players can access Henir, a new dungeon that features an amalgamation of all boss monsters from 35 dungeon stages. Accessing Henir requires Henir’s Key (normal) or Henir’s Hidden Key (challenge). Players who clear the challenge mode will be placed on Henir’s Time and Space Ranking list and earn a new title. A new streaming client can also now be downloaded. This client has a smaller initial download, and downloads the remainder of the client while players enjoy the game. Elsword Gameplay Screenshot Source: Spring Brings Epic New Dungeon and Faster Download Time to Online Beat-'em-up Elsword IRVINE, Calif. – March 2, 2012 – Kill3rCombo is now offering players the opportunity to begin dungeon crawling and battling adversaries faster than ever in its massively multiplayer online (MMO) game Elsword . At five times smaller than the full client, first-timers can now get in to the action faster via the new streaming system, while the game client continues to download in the background. In addition to decreased download wait time, Elsword is also introducing new content in the form of Henir's time and space dungeon. Available to all players, but ideal for those with fierce combo skills, Henir is an amalgamation of all boss monsters from 35 dungeon stages. Gamers that wish to take on this intense test will need to obtain either Henir's Key or Henir's Hidden Key, depending on which mode they choose – normal or challenge. Once players clear challenge mode, they will be placed on Henir's Time and Space Ranking list and can bask in the glory of a new title. This exclusive dungeon consists of all five regions in Elsword – Ruben, Elder, Bethma, Feita and Altera – and should be played in sequence so as to complete the series and receive Monster Cards that can be exchanged for better equipment. In Elsword, gamers can choose from five specialized and customizable characters as they explore immersive maps and battle to complete dynamic quests. As players progress through the game, they can evolve their fighting styles by upgrading to new job classes and watch as their chosen character matures and gains more fierce abilities and combos. With intuitive and straightforward controls, Elsword offers players of all skill levels the chance to defeat enemies and deal damage, either on a solo mission or cooperatively in a party of up to four players. For those who welcome a challenge, Elsword also delivers action-packed player-versus-player (PvP) combat.

RaiderZ announces alpha Posted: 02 Mar 2012 12:01 PM PST Perfect World Entertainment has announced that RaiderZ will begin alpha testing on March 14. The announcement includes the launch of the game’s official website, at raiderz.perfectworld.com. Registration for testing is now open. A limited number of North American testers will be selected for the alpha test. RaiderZ challenges players to down epic monsters with real-time action battles. Each monster has its own strategy, and some can be beaten apart with their own weapons or limbs. Characters in RaiderZ will use a weapon system to determine their skills, with over 350 skill combinations available. Perfect World Entertainment also publishes Blacklight Retribution and Rusty Hearts. RaiderZ Alpha Trailer: Source: RaiderZ New Website Launches; Exclusive Alpha Testing Announced Monster Hunting MMO Begins Alpha Testing in North America on March 14, 2012 (Foster City, CA) Feburary 23, 2011 — Perfect World Entertainment Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD), today announces the long-awaited exclusive Alpha Test of RaiderZ begins on March 14, 2012. After a stellar showing at last year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) — with tantalizing sneak peeks and exclusive demos — the colossal monster hunting MMORPG will finally be playable by a highly limited number of North American gamers. Get more information about RaiderZ and register for the Alpha Test by visiting today’s newly unveiled website at: http://RAIDERZ.perfectworld.com/. Also, join the official RaiderZ Facebook page to get the latest updates: http://www.facebook.com/RaiderZGame?sk=wall. “Fans of action MMOs and the monster hunting subgenre of gaming are in for a one-of-a-kind experience with RaiderZ,” said Yoon Im, Senior VP/GM of Game Publishing, Perfect World Entertainment. “With fast non-targeting gameplay and a classless character system, players of RaiderZ have direct control over a character’s skills and play style. With challenging PvE and PvP combat, epic boss fights and a comprehensive crafting system, RaiderZ is an amazingly high quality free MMORPG and we can’t wait to let gamers in.” In RaiderZ, explore the vivid and surreal land of Rendel in search of behemoths and epic monsters of legend. Find them. Slay them. Key features include: • Exotic Real-Time Battles An exciting, responsive real-time battle system brings players directly into the fight. Evade and block, strike and destroy. Hunting takes strategy, power and skill. • Too Close for Comfort Monsters get personal as they grab, smash, maul and eat players alive. Rip monsters apart and use their own weapons and limbs against them in battle or for crafting, lest you be clutched, clawed, thrown and otherwise savaged. • Know Your Enemy… It Knows You Gigantic, intelligent bosses keep even the swarthiest groups on their toes. Work together with fellow hunters to discover the weaknesses of raging, mythological beasts and employ team tactics and strategies to permanently take them down. • Unique Character System Weapons determine skills in RaiderZ. Choose from over 350 skill combinations to build custom character unlike any other. • Open World Track monsters in an open world and explore diverse landscapes. Carefully tread through the deepest, darkest jungles; brave the narrow passes of snow-covered mountains, and be caught by an ever-changing weather system. • Cutting Edge Graphics By leveraging the power afforded in NVIDIA graphics and PHYSX interactions, RaiderZ features vibrant visuals and a level of physicality not yet seen in MMOs.

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MMO Updates

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• Dawntide development officially on hiatus
• RaiderZ alpha test coming March 14th, new trailer released
• The Firing Line: Blacklight: Retribution open beta impressions
• The Daily Grind: What MMO have you recently deleted from your hard drive?
• The MMO Report: Where the mobs raid you
• Star Wars: The Old Republic announces economic adjustments
• Ask Massively: Format changes for big questions
• War Witch conjures up a new producer's letter for City of Heroes
• Producer Dan Stahl answers the newest round of Star Trek Online community questions
• The Guild Counsel: New game, new guild, cold feet - now what?
• EVE Online nukes over a thousand botters from orbit
• Line of Defense gets gung-ho in its latest trailer
• DC Universe Online braces for the Battle for Earth
• Shin Megami Tensei transferred to Atlus in North America
• LotRO paddles down The Great River in a canoe fashioned from patch notes and dev diaries
• Pathfinder Online measures up player housing
• SWTOR's lead PvP designer answers community questions
• The Summoner's Guidebook: It's time to get serious!
• Super Hero Squad trading card game to feature bonus MMO content
• Trion launches RIFT's Carnival of the Ascended anniversary events

Dawntide development officially on hiatus Posted: 02 Mar 2012 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Dawntide, Sandbox Last December we told you about Dawntide's impending beta server closure and temporary hiatus. Working as Intended was getting ready to go to work on a large-scale world revamp for the fantasy sandbox, and the firm said the open beta server would be down for a couple of months. According to an update on Dawntide's official website, that hiatus is now going to last quite a bit longer because the dev team has run out of funding. "We're still working on finding new investors, but this will take time. In the meanwhile, we have officially stopped all development," the announcement says. "We hope to be able to resume it in the not too distant future, but as of right now we cannot say when that will be or whether it indeed happen at all." [Thanks to Mersault for the tip!] Dawntide development officially on hiatus originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

RaiderZ alpha test coming March 14th, new trailer released Posted: 02 Mar 2012 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play Don't look now, but there's another MMO from Perfect World Entertainment in the works (we know, it shocks us too). RaiderZ was revealed at last year's E3, and now PWE is prepping the game for its alpha testing phase that begins on March 14th. If you missed the E3 announcement, RaiderZ features a "responsive real-time battle system" that necessitates evading and blocking as well as striking and destroying. The game also boasts more than 350 skills and a classless advancement system designed to let players make their own way across its extensive open world. You can register for the alpha at the official RaiderZ website, and don't forget to take a look at the new trailer after the cut. [Source: Perfect World press release] Continue reading RaiderZ alpha test coming March 14th, new trailer released RaiderZ alpha test coming March 14th, new trailer released originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Firing Line: Blacklight: Retribution open beta impressions Posted: 02 Mar 2012 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play So I spent a little time with Perfect World Entertainment's new multiplayer shooter this week. Buh-what? Yeah, it is strange to think that the company responsible for Rusty Hearts, Ether Saga Odyssey, and about 20 million other free-to-play MMOs has finally jumped onto the FPS bandwagon. While PWE is publishing Blacklight: Retribution, though, design and development of the spiffy sci-fi action title comes courtesy of Zombie Studios. Continue reading The Firing Line: Blacklight: Retribution open beta impressions The Firing Line: Blacklight: Retribution open beta impressions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What MMO have you recently deleted from your hard drive? Posted: 02 Mar 2012 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Maybe that newest big-shiny wasn't all you thought it would be. Maybe that old classic just doesn't hold your interest anymore. Maybe you're tired of looking at icons for 45 different games on your desktop. Whatever the reason, most of us have made that choice to delete MMOs from our hard drive when we no longer play them. With so many choices out there today, the decision to sever ties gets easier and easier. So what's the most recent game you've deleted from your hard drive? Let us know in the comment below! Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind! The Daily Grind: What MMO have you recently deleted from your hard drive? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The MMO Report: Where the mobs raid you Posted: 01 Mar 2012 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Interviews, MMO industry, Humor, RIFT, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous The MMO Report returns this week with a special RIFT edition in celebration of the game's first birthday. In this extra-long show, Casey visits the Trion Worlds studios in Redwood Shores, California for a beard's-eye view of the game as it turns one. He meets up with such Trion notables as Scott Hartsman, Hal Hanlin, and Russ Brown as they chat about the Carnival of the Ascended, the anniversary events, the mobile app, and the record-breaking 20,000 marriages recently performed in-game. The devs also discuss how they balance fan feedback (endgame players are apparently the loudest) and claim that the latest patch features the "greatest balloons ever put into a game." Eavesdrop on Casey's tour in the HD video after the break! Continue reading The MMO Report: Where the mobs raid you The MMO Report: Where the mobs raid you originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: The MMO Report

Star Wars: The Old Republic announces economic adjustments Posted: 01 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Economy, Patches, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic Economic upheaval is coming to the galaxy in Star Wars: The Old Republic's patch 1.1.5. A series of rumors and announcements from major organizations across the galaxy have been published on the official site in order to give players some insight into the upcoming changes. From all of the delicious lore tidbits, we find out that the speeder manufacturer Korrealis is retiring its Sovereign, Prince, Baron, and Commander speeders, while the Tirsa Industrial Consortium has quietly removed its Prime model speeders from the market. As a result of this decision, all of the aforementioned models are now steeply discounted, so grab them while they last. Meanwhile, the Republic Senate's Committee on Transportation and Public Safety has decided to lower the cost of speeder licenses. Speeder purchase taxes, however, are being raised in response to this move. The Imperial Transportation Authority recently passed a similar law. To top it off, the Republic has recently come into possession of some previously Empire-owned purple color crystals, and both Republic and Empire merchants have some into possession of some very rare -- and very expensive -- white color crystals. Market speculators, start your engines; there's money to be made! Star Wars: The Old Republic announces economic adjustments originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Star Wars: The Old Republic -- Economic Changes in patch 1.1.5

Ask Massively: Format changes for big questions Posted: 01 Mar 2012 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Massively Meta, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous Potaco asked a great question two weeks ago for Ask Massively, one that I'm going to just post right here: "As a contributor to a gaming site that involves keeping up with many, many, many MMOs, do you find it harder to commit to a single game than before being forced to be exposed to so many?" Naturally, I could have answered the question simply for myself. But we're a diverse bunch here at Massively, with different tastes and opinions and experiences. Any answer I gave wouldn't reveal the whole picture, so I turned to the rest of the team and posed the same question. The resulting column was so big that I had to steal an entirely different feature's format just to make everything easy to read. (Hopefully the guy who does it won't mind.) As always, if you've got a question you'd like to see in a future installment, mail it along to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited for brevity and/or clarity. Continue reading Ask Massively: Format changes for big questions Ask Massively: Format changes for big questions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Image Source

War Witch conjures up a new producer's letter for City of Heroes Posted: 01 Mar 2012 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play If you've been missing the wit and wisdom of Melissa Bianco, better known to City of Heroes players as War Witch, then you're in luck. The game's newest producer's letter is penned by none other than Ms. Bianco, revealing that she has just recently been moved into the role of producer for the game as a whole. But there's more to the letter than just revelations about her recent career moves -- there's also more information about what's coming for the game beyond Issue 22. Masterminds can look forward to a new powerset, Beast Mastery, hitting the Paragon Market at some point in March. Everyone can also look forward to new temporary powers and minipets as well as the conclusion of the current featured story arc. There's also a teaser about something else exciting coming along for the summer, although the letter remains mum on what the next two major patches will bring for the game. Fans will no doubt want to read closely between the lines to see if they can tease out any other nuggets of information, but it's clear that the team at Paragon Studios has plenty of irons in the fire. War Witch conjures up a new producer's letter for City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Issue 22 Producer's Letter

Producer Dan Stahl answers the newest round of Star Trek Online community questions Posted: 01 Mar 2012 03:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Community Q&A Dan Stahl is back in the hot seat at Star Trek Online, and that means it's time for him to tackle another round of questions for the regular Ask Cryptic feature. This month's questions have quite a lot to do with forecasting future updates to the game, ranging from questions about new playable species to questions on revising crafting and PvP. And while these questions always involve a fair amount of ambiguity for far-off plans, there's plenty for players to chew on. One of the obvious questions relates to the game's planned release of only two Featured Episode series. Stahl explains that the real issue isn't how many series are released; it's the fact that the game needs a steady pipeline of content, something that the team is examining closely. He also discusses future goals for Fleets and the possibility of voiceover for dedicated bridge officers. As with previous installments, there's no shortage of questions, so fans are likely to find something to get excited about within the answers. Producer Dan Stahl answers the newest round of Star Trek Online community questions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Ask Cryptic - March

The Guild Counsel: New game, new guild, cold feet - now what? Posted: 01 Mar 2012 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous There's an eerie similarity between gamers and guilds when it comes to game launches. The day a game goes live, there's often a huge rush of players, elbowing each other as they gobble up content. But as quickly as they arrive, some players decide that this isn't the game for them, and they move on. The same is true for many new guilds. If you consider the size of the Star Wars: The Old Republic pre-launch guild database, for example, there were over 78,000 guilds signed up to deploy, but the total number of guilds still active today is undoubtedly only a fraction of that. In some cases, guilds that signed up probably never got off the ground, but in other cases, it's possible that the guild soured on the game. Now, it's one thing if you're just one individual who gets cold feet, but it's much more complicated when you're the guild leader and you've got a roster full of members tagging alongside you. In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll consider what you should do you do when you've made a guild in a new game and then realize the game just isn't your cup of tea. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: New game, new guild, cold feet - now what? The Guild Counsel: New game, new guild, cold feet - now what? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Online nukes over a thousand botters from orbit Posted: 01 Mar 2012 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox Look upon CCP's works, ye botters, and despair! EVE Online players recently noticed "by virtue of reading various shady forums" that the CCP team has suspended or banned a large number of botters. CCP Sreegs stopped by the official site today to respond to some of the community reactions to the mass bot-nuking. Many fans seem to believe that the bannings are a publicitity stunt to drum up interest in the upcoming Fanfest. CCP Sreegs responds that, of course, this isn't the case. He notes that during CCP's recent periods of turbulence, there was no team responsible for "handling the technology responsible for nuking botters," but now that there's a full team once more, "[CCP has] now thrown the switch again and turned on the catching bad guys machine." Other players are crying out that the current three-strike system is too soft-hearted. Sreegs respectfully disagrees, citing the fact that, of all players that go on to receive two strikes, only something like 3% go on to earn a third. But what's to stop these problem players from transferring their characters to a new account and carrying on as usual? Sreegs also announced that a new system is being put in place that will indefinitely revoke the character transfer privileges of any suspended players, no matter how many strikes they have against them. For the full story as well as a bit of insight as to how CCP deals with botters and cheaters, just click on through the link below. EVE Online nukes over a thousand botters from orbit originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EVE Online -- Banning Bad Guys and also Bad Guys

Line of Defense gets gung-ho in its latest trailer Posted: 01 Mar 2012 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Previews, Free-to-play, MMOFPS Listen up, maggots, 'cause I'm only going to tell you this once: If any of you bubblegum-chewing, Jersey Shore-watching couch potatoes thinks that space combat is a jolly good time, then... well, yes it is! Quite delightful, really. Lots of thrills, stunts, occasional headshots -- all those sorts of things. Afterward we will convene for scones and group cheers. I guess that means it's time for your assignment of the day, which is to eyeball Derek Smart's Line of Defense trailer and let us know your professional opinion. It's a high-octane trip through the game's flexible combat locations, from drop ships to jeeps to parachutes to good old-fashioned ground firefights. You can see how Line of Defense is shaping up after the jump! Continue reading Line of Defense gets gung-ho in its latest trailer Line of Defense gets gung-ho in its latest trailer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: PC Gamer

DC Universe Online braces for the Battle for Earth Posted: 01 Mar 2012 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, DC Universe Online DC Universe Online heroes and villains better prepare for the fight of their lives because Sony Online Entertainment has announced the third DLC pack, Battle for Earth. The DLC will grant players access to a whole new powerset known as Earth Powers. It is what it sounds like, folks. In addition to the new power set, the studio is also adding a brand-new raid: Themyscira. Comic book fans will recognize this as the home island of Wonder Woman and her fellow Amazons. It's up to players to fight alongside a variety of mythical creatures in order to defend Wonder Woman's home against Chimeric Brainiacs. To top it all off, Battle for Earth's storyline will put players toe-to-toe with Brainiac's Prime Avatars before they go up against the big bad Brainiac himself. Heroes will be fighting, obviously, for the defense of Earth, while villains will want to take Brainiac out of the picture because, hey, why let someone else destroy the world when you can do it yourself? The new DLC pack will hit the Marketplace on March 13th, though it will, of course, be free to Legendary members. So hone your skills and prepare for the final showdown; the fate of the Earth is in your hands. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release] DC Universe Online braces for the Battle for Earth originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Shin Megami Tensei transferred to Atlus in North America Posted: 01 Mar 2012 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Miscellaneous If you're a fan of the venerable Shin Megami Tensei RPG franchise, you might be pleased to know that Atlus is taking over publishing duties on the Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine online title from California-based Aeria Games. Gamasutra reports that Atlus views the forthcoming April move as a "homecoming" for the game, which was originally released in 2007. Prior to the move, Atlus managed the Japanese servers while Aeria handled the North American operations. Gamasutra says that "all characters and player data will be carried over automatically, although there will be a short period of downtime while this occurs." Shin Megami Tensei transferred to Atlus in North America originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Gamasutra

LotRO paddles down The Great River in a canoe fashioned from patch notes and dev diaries Posted: 01 Mar 2012 12:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries "The Great River not only offers something fresh-feeling and new, but also some fairly epic eye candy," the latest Lord of the Rings Online developer diary begins. The diary is referring to the latest zone being created for the game, which is slated to come with Update 6. We've already gotten a glimpse of the region, but now it's time for the team to go in-depth with its concept and creation. One of the highlights of the new region is that The Great River will be home to the very first Rohirrim settlement: Stangard. Because of this, Standgard will feature unique visuals and architecture not found elsewhere in the game. In addition to providing new vistas to explore, The Great River will help players gear up further through quest rewards, a new reputation faction, and an elite area. For those interested in getting an idea of how Turbine puts together a zone like this, there's a terrific addendum that walks through the process. Preliminary patch notes are also up for Update 6, which is now on the test server. There's a lot to digest here, although it's interesting to note that Virtues will be increased to 14 (from 12) due to player demand. It's good to know that plenty of bugs will be fixed come this patch, including this one: "The sky objects will no longer vanish when you travel to certain instances and then return. Told ya; The sky is not falling. It was just...missing." LotRO paddles down The Great River in a canoe fashioned from patch notes and dev diaries originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Great River dev diary, Patch Notes

Pathfinder Online measures up player housing Posted: 01 Mar 2012 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, Dev Diaries, Sandbox, Crafting To live up to the claim of being an extensively player-built game world is a significant challenge for the Pathfinder Online team, but to the devs' credit, it seems as if they have a few elegant ideas to make it work. In the latest developer blog post, CEO Ryan Dancey discusses how the team is approaching player-built structures in the game world. While there will be three NPC settlements, player structures will be a significant presence in Pathfinder Online, Dancey says. Not only will a player be given the ability to create a persistent structure, but that structure will be vulnerable to destruction as well if not protected. Dancey says that the idea right now is for the world to have special spots that signify a suitable building location; this is to keep the density from growing out of control and also to put buildings near desirable sites or resources. Once a structure is built by a group of players, it can be transferred to new ownership, built up, or attacked. Some of the structures that the team is kicking around include hideouts, inns, watchtowers, forts, and settlements. Dancey also mentioned that players may be able to improve roads and docks in order to facilitate faster travel. The one downside to the logistics of this feature is that players might not be able to go inside these structures; instead, they'll to access housing abilities via menus. This could be changed after launch, Dancey says, but the demand on system resources would make it a difficult task. Pathfinder Online measures up player housing originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Pathfinder Online blog

SWTOR's lead PvP designer answers community questions Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, PvP, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic Star Wars: The Old Republic's launch may be old news in Europe and North America, but our friends down under are just now getting a chance to partake of BioWare's first foray into the MMO space. Fan site Toroz.com cornered lead PvP designer Gabe Amatangelo for an extensive interview, the bulk of the questions for which came direct from the Oceanic community. The audio is spotty in a couple of places, but the questions have also been transcribed below the embed. Among the queries are bits about DPS meters, general thoughts on the state of warzones, and ongoing issues with kill-trading. Head past the break for the full interview. Continue reading SWTOR's lead PvP designer answers community questions SWTOR's lead PvP designer answers community questions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Toroz

The Summoner's Guidebook: It's time to get serious! Posted: 01 Mar 2012 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Opinion, Free-to-play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook One of the things that was baffling for me as a League of Legends noob was the overall tempo of PvP games. In bot matches, I got used to staying in my lane, and I was never sure when it was a good time to meet up with my team or go for objectives. I actually didn't really understand what "mid game" and "late game" actually meant. However, on Summoner's Rift, those terms actually have real meaning. You have different goals in the early, mid, and late game, and if you try to continue laning when you're in the midgame, you're going to run into huge problems, as the entire enemy team is probably ganging up to come and kill you. This week, we're going to talk about the flow of the game on Summoner's Rift, and when you should be switching up your game to accomplish different things. Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: It's time to get serious! The Summoner's Guidebook: It's time to get serious! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Super Hero Squad trading card game to feature bonus MMO content Posted: 01 Mar 2012 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Super-hero, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Casual, Kids, Family, Super Hero Squad Online, Miscellaneous For those of us who grew up as sports fans during the early 1990s, the name Upper Deck is synonymous with baseball cards. Nowadays, the firm has branched out into customizable trading card games, and the latest such is a tie-in to Gazillion's kid-friendly Super Hero Squad Online MMO. The Super Hero Squad TCG features a 300-card base set chock-full of the usual Marvel suspects. Alongside the Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America cards are special loot inserts with reward codes that unlock bonus items and exclusive playable characters in SHSO. Look for booster packs at your favorite gaming retailer on April 24th. [Source: Marvel press release] Super Hero Squad trading card game to feature bonus MMO content originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Trion launches RIFT's Carnival of the Ascended anniversary events Posted: 01 Mar 2012 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, RIFT It's hard to believe that RIFT is a year old, but it is, and Trion has taken the wraps off a substantial world event to celebrate. The Carnival of the Ascended kicked off yesterday, with festivities that include four weeks of bonus XP, various minigames and rare reward opportunities, and "hours of new solo, group, raid, PvP, crafting gameplay, and more event quests than ever before," according to Trion. RIFT is a high fantasy MMORPG that features two opposing factions, dynamic quest content, and a customizable class system. More info on the one-year anniversary event, including images of many of the reward items, can be found at the official RIFT website. Trion launches RIFT's Carnival of the Ascended anniversary events originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Carnival announcement

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