Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

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• Blue Tears (CN)
• Path of Exile
• GameStop Settles Lawsuit, Will Warn California Consumers About Used Game DLC
• Epic Working On PC Exclusive
• Resident Evil 6 and the Death of Camp

Blue Tears (CN) Posted: 11 Apr 2012 05:41 AM PDT I do know cute, fast and action sounds like a weird mixture in an online game, but at least that was what I felt Originally published by NCsoft back in Korea under the title “Punch Monster”, the game was unceremoniously canceled by the company in just a few months. Personally, I blame NCsoft for not placing more efforts into marketing the game and getting the right team to manage this action + casual side-scroller. NCsoft failed with Dragonica Korea as well (now under Gravity Korea as Dragon Saga), hence I shall give the label of “King of Failed Casual Games” to NCsoft. Luckily, Punch Monster’s development studio is not under NCsoft, hence the game continued to thrive in other countries, such as China where I had my fair share of fun. Weekday evenings and weekends are a chore though, with the server practically full 24/7 and proving near impossible to log into the channels with less than a 30 minutes wait… This happens even when certain level ranges will only get bonus EXP for entering selected channels. Now called Blue Tears in other Asian countries, I must say that I was surprised at myself for lasting so long in the game given that I am a “retired” MMO player. Sort of anyway. While Dungeon Fighter Online is no doubt the king of action side-scroller, Blue Tears is not far behind in the speed category in terms of combat. That is what I really liked about the game (to hell with MapleStory) and the really cute design, which some comparing it with Paper Mario. Class selection is pretty standard, with 3 basic ones branching out into 2 advanced ones. I chose to be a warrior, and then continued to being a Dragon Knight, which is essentially the tanker. To some extent, I never really felt like a tanker until I upgraded my equipments to +8, and even then I felt paper thin against some bosses in the special dungeons (mentioned below) while normal dungeons are a breeze for me. Giving up my shield recently, I reset my skill points (and taunts) and decided to go a 2-handed spear style… No one kicked me out of a party for that, yet. I am dealing decent damage with many defensive buffs, hence I am quite happy with it. For skills, players get 1 point upon leveling. However, you don’t really just add a point to the skill. Instead, you add the points to enhance the skills. For example, a skill call Dragon Wave will come with 2 enhancement options, 1 which will increase damage, while the other increase the number of foes it hits. Each of this enhancement skills can be leveled up to a maximum of 9 from what I observed. If you added 3 points to the enhancements, the main skill will automatically be level 4 (level 1 to use) and have increased attributes. Though there are a couple of games using this system, it is no doubt still a rarity. While there are open world maps for quests and bosses, there are the signature instance dungeons as well. Each dungeon will have up to 3 difficulties, requiring players to unlock them after completing an easier one. Unfortunately, there are limited times a players can enter dungeons each day given the 1000 dungeon points. But I am not complaining, since the points are really more than enough for me on a weekday. There will be special bonus objectives when entering the dungeons, such as “Get hit less than 50 times” or “Use less than 50 potions”, most of which are really easy to achieve. Next, there are the special dungeons which players can only enter 2 times each day. These dungeons are much tougher, monsters have insane amount of health points and the bosses are really a pain in the @$$. I got mined kicked really hard when entering the mid-levels one for the first time. Other than quests, these special dungeons’ monsters drops items which allows you to trade for NPC set-item gears at the entrance. While it sounds easy, collecting them (up to hundreds of them) is really time consuming. Not that I am complaining, I think no one should since these are basically free gears requiring just patience. I am really impressed with the abundance of quests found in Blue Tears, since they really never stop appearing after completing older ones. Yes, most of them are the classic “Kill X monsters” or “Collect X materials”, but somehow I never really got tired of repeating the same formula, at least for the past 2 weeks. The game is bright and the models, environment are all clear and vivid, and while emulating some sort of childishness in the design style, is not too over the bar. Given that the game is developed in Korea and being published in cash-rich China, there is no doubt a couple of advantages using the cash shop. For example, I can boost my strength by 20% after equipping my pet with a skill bought from the cash shop. Granted, there is not really any guild battles except simple 1 on 1 PvP, I think it is really ok… Well, I spent a hundred on the game so far, I am enjoying it :p There is actually a little bit “fairness” in terms of upgrading equipments, where items which boosts success rate by 10% and items which prevent destruction cannot be used at the same time. At certain intervals, for example from +4 to +5 and +7 to +8, there are no penalties other than failing and losing the gold. In fact, equipments will not break until from +10 and onwards. However, even equipments will fall down 1 level if the upgrade fails. From +2 to +1 is really… Argh… There are various other features such as automated fishing (chance to get an ultra rare fish as ingredient), the various costumes and mounts, bounty system for bosses and also a card game which I never really tried. You might be thinking “Wait, ain’t this just another Korean grinder?”… Well, it really is. Sometimes, a generic game just has that strange alluring charm which attracts the naysayers to give it a try, which in this case, is me. I think I need to see a shrink soon.  A MMO shrink. Similar Article: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/04/blue-tears-cn-cute-and-fast-with-tons.html Related posts: Blue Moon (KR) – Multi TERA Japan Luna Story: ELs (KR)

Path of Exile Posted: 11 Apr 2012 05:41 AM PDT [Game website] Crowd-funding seems to be the hottest thing right now in the gaming industry, with developers trying to get the financials in order to operate and sell games themselves. Those pesky publishers like EA should really do some self-reflection. Back to the MMO, Path of Exile, developer Grinding Gear Games sent out a press release earlier to extend their thanks to the gamer who bought virtual points even before the game is out. USD 200,000 from 13,000 players is by no means a small amount seeing that it only took them 6 days. You can still contribute (link) and Open Beta is currently scheduled in June. MEDIA RELEASE Indie Action RPG Path of Exile crowd-funds $200,000 over Easter AUCKLAND, New Zealand – 11 April 2012 – Following a hugely popular public test weekend, the makers of Indie Action RPG Path of Exile, New Zealand-based Grinding Gear Games, have launched a 'crowd-funding' campaign where players can pre-purchase game currency and receive rewards such as Closed Beta Keys and exclusive in-game pets in return. In first six days the free-to-play 'ethical microtransaction' funded action RPG has sold over USD$200,000 worth of supporter packs to 13,000 fans. The previous weekend 46,911 players stress tested the game. "We literally had hundreds of people asking how they could support the game to get to Open Beta sooner. We were blown away by the community enthusiasm at the stress test weekend, so we moved quickly to open our shop earlier than planned. We've been blown away again by the support over Easter," says Grinding Gear Games' co-founder Chris Wilson. 13 people have bought the $1,000 Diamond Supporter package, which will let them help design one of the game's Unique magic items. Path of Exile features its own dark, gritty take on the Action RPG genre, a unique skill gem system, a huge passive skill tree and PvP combat in a persistent online world. "The crowd-funding presales mean Path of Exile will enter Open Beta in June with three acts of content. Although we plan to pile on the content for years to come, further support will greatly accelerate it and help pay for our US and European servers." Grinding Gear Games have committed to never charge for content or power. "Selling supporter packs and currency has also been a great test of our 'ethical microtransaction' philosophy. We hate the concept of pay-to-win games, so it's great to see that players are willing to support the game and to buy purely cosmetic items," says Wilson. A range of supporter packs are available on Path of Exile's website. The cheapest tier is $10 which includes Closed Beta access. Higher tiers come with in-game Kiwi bird Pets, a collector's edition copy of the game, t-shirts, soundtracks, signed posters, and the option to design a Unique Item. All packs include game currency which can be used to buy extra character slots and stash tabs for compulsive item hoarding. More personalisation options and player services are planned for the Open Beta. Any purchases made now will continue into the Open Beta, although Closed Beta characters and non-microtransaction items will be wiped upon entering Open Beta in approximately June. During the stress test weekend, 46,911 people tried the game with the servers successfully handling a peak load of 7310 players. "The stress test was great – we learnt a lot about how people are playing and enjoying the game. We've built Path of Exile as an online game with PvP and support for various leagues and game modes from the ground up, and we're really pleased with how the servers performed," says Wilson. Path of Exile has been in development for five years by Grinding Gear Games, an independent studio of hardcore RPG fans based in Auckland, New Zealand. Key features of 'Path of Exile': - Completely free to download and play, but never 'pay-to-win' - A persistent online world capable of supporting hundreds of thousands of players - A dark and gritty game world rendered from a fixed 3D perspective - Randomly generated levels and items for extreme replayability - Online ranking and ladders for every game mode - Visceral combat with dozens of combinable skills - Battle in PVP tournaments for worldwide recognition - Dynamic skill system Similar Article: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/04/path-of-exile-developer-thanks-easter.html Related posts: Path of Exile Path of Exile Epic Working On PC Exclusive

GameStop Settles Lawsuit, Will Warn California Consumers About Used Game DLC Posted: 10 Apr 2012 11:41 PM PDT A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit filed over two years ago in the state of California. The retailer was accused of deceptively misleading consumers into believing used games they purchased would include bonus downloadable content when, in fact, that content was only available for free to the games’ original owners. According to a press release issued today, a United States District Court judge approved the settlement reached between GameStop and law firm Baron and Budd, which was representing plaintiff James Collins. There are two aspects to the settlement, one of which includes consumers getting money back from GameStop. Those who purchased qualifying used games and are PowerUp Rewards members (the new-ish name for the store’s loyalty program) are eligible to receive a check for $10 and a $5 coupon. Those who are not members can get a $5 check and a $10 coupon. Details on what games qualify were not mentioned in the press release; the original lawsuit listed games like Dragon Age Origins, Mass Effect 2, and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 as those which include one-use codes that unlock content for new game buyers. A Facebook page has been set up by Baron and Budd to inform consumers on the details of the settlement. The issue raised in the lawsuit was not over these games having such DLC, but because this DLC is advertised as being free on each game’s box art. (A used game that is $5 cheaper than a new copy isn’t such a bargain if you have to spend $10 or $15 to get DLC included with the new copy for free.) As such, GameStop’s website and stores located in California (as that is the state in which the lawsuit was filed) will have to post signs for the next two years indicating that an additional purchase may be required for access to any advertised DLC. “We are pleased that as a result of this lawsuit, we were able to obtain complete restitution for consumers, with actual money paid out to people who were harmed by GameStop’s conduct,” said Baron and Budd attorney Mark Pifko. “The in-store and online warnings are an important benefit under the settlement as well, because if GameStop discloses the truth to consumers, it is unlikely that they will be able to continue selling used copies of certain games for only $5 less than the price of a new copy. In fact, we already know that not long after the lawsuit was filed, GameStop lowered prices for used copies of many of the game titles identified in the lawsuit.” The press release encourages those living in other states to contact Baron and Budd if they feel they’ve run into the same issue with GameStop. The monetary aspect of the settlement is sure to encourage many consumers to seek a similar outcome in their home state, but it’s the other part that GameStop should be enacting in all of its stores. You could argue GameStop shouldn’t have to be responsible for informing consumers about the way online passes work. But as long as the company continues to generate so much money off of the sale of used games, it doesn’t seem unreasonable that it provide some indication that what’s shown on a game’s box art is not necessarily indicative of what consumers will be receiving. Not everyone who shops in the company’s stores is a savvy gamer familiar with the concept of DLC or online passes. GameStop has in at least one case taken steps to provide used game buyers with a more comparable experience to that of buying a game new. Batman: Arkham City‘s Catwoman content was locked behind an online pass, but the store provided a new code to unlock that content with used copies. More often than not, however, that is not the case. This may all become a moot point if the next generation of consoles prohibit the use of secondhand games, and if not because of that, then the eventual move to games being digital-only will have the same effect. With there being a distinct possibility that used games will stick around for at least another generation, though, GameStop may continue to face this sort of criticism until online passes are eliminated (not happening) or it takes steps to better educate consumers. Doing so might even turn into a business opportunity if it begins selling online passes in the same way it already does DLC. Similar Article: http://www.1up.com/news/gamestop-settles-lawsuit-used-game-dlc Related posts: Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Sony’s Anti-Class Action Lawsuit ToS Review: Mario Kart 7 Comfortably Settles For Silver Shenmue Social Game Closes After Only a Year

Epic Working On PC Exclusive Posted: 10 Apr 2012 05:41 PM PDT Epic is working a new PC exclusive title. According to a recent post on Gamespot, Epic president Mike Capps confirmed this at a panel with designer Cliff 'CliffyB' Bleszinski at PAX East over the weekend, saying: "We might be working on a PC-only title," before CliffyB confirmed it by stating, "Let me say that again: we are working on a PC game." There were no further details as to what the game was exactly or even whether it was a new IP or not, but the news comes after Cliffy B shut down any more doubts over the cancellation of rumoured Kinect Gear Of War title 'Exile': "Gears of War: Exile was an unannounced game that I can't give any details about that has since been cancelled." Similar Article: http://www.totalpcgaming.com/latest-pc-news/epic-working-on-pc-exclusive/ Related posts: Ueda Still Working on The Last Guardian, No Word on Departure [Exclusive] Unveiled : The Supernatural Path of Exile

Resident Evil 6 and the Death of Camp Posted: 10 Apr 2012 11:41 AM PDT What’s so terrible about DmC? People sure were angry when Capcom revealed this Devil May Cry prequel/reboot last year. Not having particularly followed the series myself, I found the outcry a little baffling. Sure, it was being outsourced rather than being developed internally by Capcom, but the studio responsible for it is Ninja Theory, who have yet to make a poor game; on the contrary, their work — particularly the recent sleeper Enslaved: Journey to the West — have been quite nicely received by critics. In the end, the complaints mainly seem to boil down to the fact that protagonist Dante suddenly has dark hair and a coif that look an awful lot like that of Ninja Theory’s boss, Tameem Antoniades. OK, so maybe it’s a little self-gratifying. But still, I have to ask: What’s so terrible about DmC? Now that I’ve had the opportunity to play DmC for myself, I have a hard time imagining that any fan of Devil May Cry fan wouldn’t enjoy Ninja Theory’s take on the franchise. Yeah, Dante has become something of a self-insertion character, and he’s a cocky twerp; but his brashness is offset by a delirious combination of over-the-top silliness and over-the-top action game excess. One moment, Dante is answering the door of his trailer home in the nude; the next, a massive demon is attacking and the hero dresses himself in slow-motion by free-falling through the air into his clothes. (Conveniently placed hovering free-fall objects such as slices of pizza manage to preserve his modesty to the viewer through an increasingly improbable sequence of events.) There’s a real sense of tongue-in-cheek absurdity to it all; were these events to simply flash past in a moment, they’d seem frivolous. Instead, they drag on just a little too long and become just a little too ridiculous, and that clearly deliberate excess amounts to a knowing wink at the audience. It works. Similar Article: http://www.1up.com/previews?cId=3186973 Related posts: Playing Resident Evil: Revelations With a Circle Pad Pro Results in a True Portable Resident Evil Resident Evil: Revelations Features Both Pre- And Post-RE4 Gameplay 3DS Circle Pad Pro Bundled with Resident Evil: Revelations

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MMO Updates

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• New DDO trailer goes behind the scenes on Underdark expansion
• Enter at Your Own Rift: Fishin' and survivin'
• THQ executive explains WAR40K's new non-MMO direction
• PAX East 2012: Exploring the dark corners of The Secret World
• Entropia Universe brings recruiting app to Facebook
• Storybricks video reveals UI, gameplay, zombified NPC
• The Daily Grind: How would you improve tutorials?
• The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already
• Cryptic answers Champions Online Questionite questions in latest dev blog
• Star Wars: The Old Republic's patch 1.2 goes live April 12th
• TERA announces open beta and head start schedules
• Massively Speaking Episode 196: Tales from PAX East
• En Masse adding dungeon finder to TERA
• Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Chiss
• Flameseeker Chronicles: Line of succession

New DDO trailer goes behind the scenes on Underdark expansion Posted: 11 Apr 2012 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play Can't get enough of Turbine's new Dungeons and Dragons Online expansion, eh? We can't either, and fortunately the firm has released a new trailer that takes us behind the scenes on the making of the Menace of the Underdark content. The clip features producer Fernando Paiz, who calls the expansion the largest content push in the game's six-year history. Since the expansion is delving into a new IP (the Forgotten Realms, as opposed to DDO's original Eberron setting), the devs have had to adjust their thinking in terms of both content and art direction. Turbine's Jeff De Puy says that "almost all the monsters we're creating for Forgotten Realms are epically large and big." How epically large and big? You'll have to click past the cut and view the video to find out. Continue reading New DDO trailer goes behind the scenes on Underdark expansion New DDO trailer goes behind the scenes on Underdark expansion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

Enter at Your Own Rift: Fishin' and survivin' Posted: 11 Apr 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Previews, Opinion, Hands-on, RIFT, Enter at Your Own Rift, Crafting One of the parts of the recent RIFT producer's letter that caught my eye was the hint that there will soon be more to do in game besides "stab" stuff. Maybe I'm mellowing in my old age, or perhaps it's because of my inner Bartle explorer player-type, but I'm enjoying activities in MMOs that don't involve mass slaughter all the time. Usually, that means crafting, but the inventory management that's required often leaves me cross-eyed by the time I'm done. With Update 1.8, RIFT will add two new skills to the game: fishing and survival. Non-combat activities have already been introduced in past updates, like the wedding instance, but these two new skills look to be fun games within the game, so I was eager to check things out. Join me as I don some hip-waders, pack up some flint, and head to PTS for a peek at fishing, survival, and a quick peek at the looking-for-guild tool. Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Fishin' and survivin' Enter at Your Own Rift: Fishin' and survivin' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

THQ executive explains WAR40K's new non-MMO direction Posted: 11 Apr 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Warhammer 40k If you're curious about the fate of Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online, Ripten recently interviewed THQ executive Danny Bilson regarding the game's future. You'll recall that late last month, THQ announced that DMO would shed its MMO skin and reinvent itself as a single-player title. Bilson says that much of what makes the game unique will remain intact, and most importantly, WAR40K "is still sitting with the people who invented it five years ago, and honestly, they are incredibly excited about the new direction." While you wouldn't expect anything less than positive spin from a bigwig whose company has seen better days, the interview still manages to make the new title sound pretty intriguing. "If you liked Space Marine, you're gonna love this thing. It's much deeper. Space Marine was designed as a console experience. This one has tremendous multiplayer gameplay, and there is a lot going on in this game that's spectacular," Bilson says. THQ executive explains WAR40K's new non-MMO direction originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Ripten Via: RPS

PAX East 2012: Exploring the dark corners of The Secret World Posted: 11 Apr 2012 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Previews, Opinion, Hands-on, The Secret World, Massively Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage As anyone around the Massively offices can tell you, I am eagerly-bordering-on-obsessively awaiting the release of Funcom's latest entry into the MMO market, The Secret World. I'm all about the supernatural, occult, and paranormal, and The Secret World's "all the myths are true" philosophy is right up my alley, so when I heard that there would be a playable demo at PAX East 2012, it was all I could do not to squeal like a 12-year-old girl (and I may have done so anyway). Of course, many people are hesitant about the title. Between The Secret World's subscription-cum-microtransactions business model and Funcom's track record of poor launches and bug-laden games, some gamers are finding themselves hesitant to get hyped up for the game's June 19th launch. Of course, I'd be lying if I said I weren't at least a bit cautious myself, regardless of my enthusiasm for the game. So how is the game shaping up? Well, sit down, grab yourself a drink, and let me tell you what I think. Continue reading PAX East 2012: Exploring the dark corners of The Secret World PAX East 2012: Exploring the dark corners of The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Entropia Universe brings recruiting app to Facebook Posted: 11 Apr 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Entropia Universe, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play Entropia Universe has always skirted the line between game and advertising scheme, and the latest evidence of this is a new social media program developed by MindArk and Socialtype that aims to reward existing players for recruiting new ones. MMO recruitment drives are nothing new, but the kicker here is that the potential recruits can experience a slice of Entropia via their Facebook account. MindArk is using a software app called Bamboo to connect the MMO and Facebook portions of Entropia. Bamboo "turns your players into a highly-motivated marketing army," according to the app's website. "Bamboo users become ambassadors. They earn points for promoting your game through their social network. Every action is incentivized." MindArk says that the Entropia atmosphere has been ported to the Facebook app via its UI, graphics, and lore. New users can also add to said lore via their own unique plots. [Source: MindArk press release] Entropia Universe brings recruiting app to Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Storybricks video reveals UI, gameplay, zombified NPC Posted: 11 Apr 2012 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox Back in January, Namaste Entertainment released its second video dev diary for Storybricks. Prior to that, company representatives drip-fed information to the press and convention-goers relative to the new title's story-based sandbox and its unique approach to both NPC and quest design. Today we get to actually see the game in action courtesy of the newest video dev diary. Storybricks CEO Rodolfo Rosini walks us through eight minutes of gameplay complete with a look at the UI, a small story instance, and some of the options available for customizing NPC action and motivation. Storybricks looks to break the traditional kill-10-rats MMO quest paradigm. The video clip shows us how with multiple NPC actions, behaviors, and customizable flavor text (not to mention a zombie ability, which Rosini describes as "very important."). He also says the footage is "pre-pre-alpha," but it's pretty exciting nonetheless. See for yourself after the break. [Thanks to John for the tip!] Continue reading Storybricks video reveals UI, gameplay, zombified NPC Storybricks video reveals UI, gameplay, zombified NPC originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

The Daily Grind: How would you improve tutorials? Posted: 11 Apr 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Yesterday on Massively Speaking we had a lively discussion about what we dislike in MMO tutorials (the popups, oh the popups!) and how we'd improve them. But we are just a few humble souls slaving over old-fashioned typewriters, while you are a legion of computer-savvy geeks who have timed the wild, wild web. So how would you improve tutorials? Keep in mind that MMO tutorials can and should be aimed at two different demographics: those who have never played online RPGs before and those who are experienced genre vets who are giving this game a go. Introducing a newcomer to the genre in such a way that he or she is not scared off is trickier than you might suspect, especially in the era of Angry Birds accessibility. What could be done to ease new players into the games? How could tutorials better transmit the information that you truly need and skip the stuff that you don't? Let's brainstorm today! No idea is too silly, except for the sixth, 20th, and 41st comments. Those are just wack. 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: How would you improve tutorials? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already Posted: 10 Apr 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, 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've argued before about the merits of being an honest cash-shop salesperson. You have to be upfront, blunt, and willing to take some heat. Bigpoint is one of my favorite examples of a cash-shop dependent developer simply because it says what it means and means what it says. It sells items, sometimes powerful items, in several different titles. Granted, the studio usually offers a way to get those same items through in-game means, but that doesn't make for as good a story. We reported on Bigpoint a while ago when its reps essentially said that if a developer is going to make an effort to sell in-game items, it should do it the right way by making those items have a significant impact on the game by being either powerful or desirable. I cannot agree more. Bigpoint is a car lot that sells beautiful luxury automobiles. It also sells junkers and even gives out a lot of cars for free, but its charity once again does not make for a good dramatic write-up. I tend to think that if you you are going to make a cash-shop, depending on the style of game, of course, you as a developer have got to consider just what sort of impact you want that cash-shop to have on your players, and you can't be afraid to push your idea from the beginning. But just get on with it. Continue reading The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Cryptic answers Champions Online Questionite questions in latest dev blog Posted: 10 Apr 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Champions Online Unobtainium? Forget it. Vibranium? Old hat. Eludium? So passé. Champions Online's next update, Champions On Alert, will introduce a new element that will put the absurd naming convention of all these fictional substances to shame. The element in question is known as Questionite, and it will be the latest in-game currency available to CO players. The new currency will be used to procure "high level gear, Top Tier Costume Pieces and other special items like Travel Power Skins." The newest Champions Online dev blog addresses some common question(ite)s pertaining to the new currency. Questionite can be acquired through a variety of in-game methods, all of which are listed on the blog. The substance can also be bought from other players in exchange for Cryptic points (and of course, this also means that players can sell their Questionite to other players for Cryptic Points), which provides players who don't want to part with their hard-earned real-world cash an avenue through which to acquire C-Store exclusive items. It's certainly an interesting system, to say the least, so Champions players would do well to head on over to the official blog post and check out the full details. Cryptic answers Champions Online Questionite questions in latest dev blog originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Champions Online Questionite dev blog

Star Wars: The Old Republic's patch 1.2 goes live April 12th Posted: 10 Apr 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic It's almost time for Star Wars: The Old Republic players to begin forging their legacies. BioWare announced today that the game's patch 1.2: Legacy update will be hitting the live servers this Thursday, April 12th, which will certainly come as welcome news to fans of the title. In addition to the next steps of the game's Legacy system, which our own Larry Everett has covered previously, the patch will also be bringing a wealth of new content for PvE and PvP players alike. For the former crowd, BioWare is adding a new Flashpoint known as The Lost Island and the new Explosive Conflict Operation. Players in the latter camp will be able to get their player-vs.-player jollies in the new Novare Coast Warzone, which pits Empire against Republic in a capture-and-control gametype. And of course, players of all playstyles will finally be able to tweak and customize their UIs as it suits their playstyles. For the full details on the upcoming patch and its corresponding maintenance, just head on over to the official site. Star Wars: The Old Republic's patch 1.2 goes live April 12th originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Star Wars: The Old Republic patch 1.2 maintenance schedule, Star Wars: The Old Republic patch 1.2 update information

TERA announces open beta and head start schedules Posted: 10 Apr 2012 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, News items, TERA TERA's May 1st launch date is just around the corner, and we all know what that means: open beta testing and head start events ahoy! En Masse Entertainment has released a full schedule for the events leading up to the game's launch, so players can go ahead and plan when to call in sick to work. Players who have pre-ordered the game will be able to log in between April 13th and April 17th in order to create their first characters, thereby ensuring that they get the names they want. The game's open beta test will begin shortly after, and pre-order customers will once again get a one-day jump on the competition as they will be able to log in beginning on April 19th. On April 20th, the beta will open to the public, and it will run for three days until April 23rd. And finally, pre-order customers will get one final head start on April 28th, allowing them three days to explore the world of Arborea before the floodgates open to everyone on May 1st. So hone your blades, string your bows, and ready your spells, Arboreans. We'll see you on the other side. TERA announces open beta and head start schedules originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: TERA open beta and launch schedule

Massively Speaking Episode 196: Tales from PAX East Posted: 10 Apr 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Podcasts, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Massively Meta, The Secret World, Humor, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous Massively Speaking Episode 196 takes us to the front lines of PAX East 2012, where the Massively team combed through all the latest and greatest exhibits and demos to find all the juicy revelations and impressions that will fill your hype tanks until the next convention. Eliot and Matt join us to give us all the latest and greatest (swag). Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@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. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 196: Tales from PAX East Massively Speaking Episode 196: Tales from PAX East originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

En Masse adding dungeon finder to TERA Posted: 10 Apr 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA, Dungeons Love it or hate it, the dungeon finder has become synonymous with the modern-day MMO. Further evidence in this regard comes via En Masse Entertainment's latest website update, which trumpets the addition of dungeon finder mechanics to TERA. En Masse says that in addition to the standard group-making functionality, its version of the dungeon finder will give players "significant bonuses for grouping, and even send [them] extra rewards when the last boss falls." TERA's dungeon loot drops have also been increased across the board, in some cases up to double and triple the rates from past beta weekends. Hit up the official site for more details, including a comprehensive list of the game's dungeons. En Masse adding dungeon finder to TERA originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Chiss Posted: 10 Apr 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Culture, Lore, Races, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon For some players, deciding which species to play in Star Wars: The Old Republic comes down to which skin tone is the coolest. Wasn't it said when the species were first announced that the choices were human with blue skin, human with green skin, bald human, human with head tails, and human with horns? Although hyperbolic, the sentiment contains an element of truth, especially when judged by aesthetics alone. Then again, no one complains in fantasy games when you have a choice between human, short human, and human with pointy ears. Elves and dwarves are viewed through the lens of pre-existing culture and folk-lore. The Holocron Files are designed to lay the cultural foundation for some of SWTOR's species. From the horned Zabrak to the red-skinned Sith Pureblood, each Star Wars species has a rich history and backstory. Thankfully, BioWare kept that in mind when considering which species you could play. In honor of my newest character, it's only fitting that we discuss the Chiss this week. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Chiss Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Chiss originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Flameseeker Chronicles: Line of succession Posted: 10 Apr 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles Sequels are tricky business. The more fans swarm around a game or franchise, the thicker the air gets with opinions regarding what the heart and soul of that game is all about. With that in mind, I don't envy sequel game designers the task of figuring out the balance of enough of a nod to the original to maintain the emotional connection that longstanding fans have without making newcomers feel locked out of something. One of the most frequent questions that pops up in the discussion of Guild Wars 2 anticipation is whether or not it's worth it for incoming players to take a spin through the original campaigns and expansion to pass the time. This is mostly tied in with discussion about the Hall of Monuments account rewards. In my opinion, the HoM rewards should be the least compelling reason to start a play-through, although it's still a good reason; even some members of our staff are haphazardly trying to find time to wade back through the stories before release. But considering everything in ArenaNet's design philosophy, we know the HoM rewards are unlikely to offer a statistical advantage, so they should be little more than a perk. Moreover, most of their value, it seems to me, should be from what they represent, which is both time spent in-game (forging that emotional connection) actually earning the reward points and the references some of them make to the original game. I still remember my first Stygian Reaver in GW, and that is why I'm looking forward to wielding one in Guild Wars 2. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Line of succession Flameseeker Chronicles: Line of succession originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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General gaming

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• GameStop Settles Lawsuit, Will Warn California Consumers About Used Game DLC
• Republique May Pave The Way For More Hardcore iOS Games
• Resident Evil 6 and the Death of Camp
• Lost Planet 3: For Action Games, Family Men are the New Black
• How I Fell in Love With Dragon's Dogma
• What's So Terrible About DmC, Anyway?

GameStop Settles Lawsuit, Will Warn California Consumers About Used Game DLC Posted: 10 Apr 2012 03:33 PM PDT A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit filed over two years ago in the state of California. The retailer was accused of deceptively misleading consumers into believing used games they purchased would include bonus downloadable content when, in fact, that content was only available for free to the games' original owners. According to a press release issued today, a United States District Court judge approved the settlement reached between GameStop and law firm Baron and Budd, which was representing plaintiff James Collins. There are two aspects to the settlement, one of which includes consumers getting money back from GameStop. Those who purchased qualifying used games and are PowerUp Rewards members (the new-ish name for the store's loyalty program) are eligible to receive a check for $10 and a $5 coupon. Those who are not members can get a $5 check and a $10 coupon.

Republique May Pave The Way For More Hardcore iOS Games Posted: 10 Apr 2012 12:44 PM PDT Ryan Payton left 343 Industries last year to found a new company called Camouflaj where he planned to work on games that spoke more to his values than what he was doing at the Halo 4 developer. We now know what the company's first project will be, and as is the trendy thing to do these days, it is turning to Kickstarter to help get the game off the ground. The newly-launched Kickstarter has revealed Republique, an iOS game combining survival horror and stealth that has been partially inspired by 1984. The video above features the very first trailer and a few minutes of Payton speaking about the game, which looks very promising based on the early footage and details.

Resident Evil 6 and the Death of Camp Posted: 10 Apr 2012 08:03 AM PDT "Jill sandwich." "Master of unlocking."

Lost Planet 3: For Action Games, Family Men are the New Black Posted: 10 Apr 2012 08:02 AM PDT The protagonist of Lost Planet 3, a fellow by the name of Jim, is not precisely your typical action hero. He's solidly built and wears a beard, and he's a deft hand with both a pistol and a heavy mech. But he's also mellow -- a brief "psych evaluation" video clip shows him as a long-suffering fellow who responds to a violent interruption to his attempt to enjoy a quiet coffee break with a sigh of resignation rather than a flash of fury -- and lacks any real inclination toward violence or heroism. On the contrary, Jim wades into action only by necessity, and as a byproduct of his true nature: A supportive family man. He's taken up work as an explorer and energy miner on the frozen planet of E.D.N. III as a means to provide for his wife and baby. He has little interest in glory or fame and no interest at all in conquest or vengeance. Jim is a blue-collar guy whose family comes first, and when he risks his neck delving into icy caverns or lost ruins, it's simply a matter of completing his contract or, when things go wrong, raw survival.

How I Fell in Love With Dragon's Dogma Posted: 10 Apr 2012 08:01 AM PDT Everyone is quick to describe Capcom's upcoming action RPG Dragon's Dogma in terms of other games. It's a natural tendency, since new things are easiest to grasp when they're defined with the familiar -- and, for that matter, games tend to build on one another more often than not. Is Dogma a westernized take on Monster Hunter? Is it a big open-world experience like Skyrim? A quest-driven combat-focused odyssey like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning?

What's So Terrible About DmC, Anyway? Posted: 10 Apr 2012 07:58 AM PDT What's so terrible about DmC? People sure were angry when Capcom revealed this Devil May Cry prequel/reboot last year. Not having particularly followed the series myself, I found the outcry a little baffling. Sure, it was being outsourced rather than being developed internally by Capcom, but the studio responsible for it is Ninja Theory, who have yet to make a poor game; on the contrary, their work -- particularly the recent sleeper Enslaved: Journey to the West -- have been quite nicely received by critics. In the end, the complaints mainly seem to boil down to the fact that protagonist Dante suddenly has dark hair and a coif that look an awful lot like that of Ninja Theory's boss, Tameem Antoniades. OK, so maybe it's a little self-gratifying. But still, I have to ask: What's so terrible about DmC? Now that I've had the opportunity to play DmC for myself, I have a hard time imagining that any fan of Devil May Cry fan wouldn't enjoy Ninja Theory's take on the franchise. Yeah, Dante has become something of a self-insertion character, and he's a cocky twerp; but his brashness is offset by a delirious combination of over-the-top silliness and over-the-top action game excess. One moment, Dante is answering the door of his trailer home in the nude; the next, a massive demon is attacking and the hero dresses himself in slow-motion by free-falling through the air into his clothes. (Conveniently placed hovering free-fall objects such as slices of pizza manage to preserve his modesty to the viewer through an increasingly improbable sequence of events.) There's a real sense of tongue-in-cheek absurdity to it all; were these events to simply flash past in a moment, they'd seem frivolous. Instead, they drag on just a little too long and become just a little too ridiculous, and that clearly deliberate excess amounts to a knowing wink at the audience. It works.

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