MMO Updates

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• MMObility: Dark Legends' cash shop, Thinix, and Parallel Mafia's launch
• XLGAMES teases ArcheAge soundtrack download
• Chinese publisher The9 restructuring, cutting staff
• Aeria Games launches Crystal Saga and Roll n Rock in North America
• TERA's High Elves strut their stuff in a high-octane video
• The Daily Grind: What will be the next big thing for MMOs?
• The MMO Report: Big news edition
• Ask Massively: These are not Firefall beta impressions edition
• The Summoner's Guidebook: Upping my kill-death ratio
• TERA recaps PAX East and a week of reveals with new video
• Pathfinder Online developer blog outlines the path of production
• Dark Legends aims to make your vampire sparkle with a weapon giveaway
• Luck awaits Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures on Friday the 13th
• Wizard101 throws massive mount sale
• SWTOR launches the legacy patch, new operation video, and rewards for loyalists
• ArenaNet releases a sneak peek of The Making of Guild Wars 2
• City of Heroes Issue 23 to open Night Ward zone, end Praetorian War
• Golf MMO Pangya United celebrates three years with item giveaway
• Jagex announces Transformers Universe plans for BotCon 2012, includes sneak-peek and name reservations
• World of Tanks celebrates its first year
• The Guild Counsel: What the WoW speed dating video really tells us about gaming

MMObility: Dark Legends' cash shop, Thinix, and Parallel Mafia's launch Posted: 13 Apr 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, Video, Game mechanics, Launches, New titles, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, Crime, Humor, Miscellaneous, MMObility I know this is not what you want to hear if you are a fan of Spacetime Studios and were really excited about it new title, Dark Legends, but here goes: The energy mechanic that seems to have so many players upset is really not that bad at all. See, at some point many games decided to use a limited amount of energy to fuel character actions, and once it runs out, it seems like game over. It has always been the case (ever since Farmville first made the mechanic so popular that misguided gamers thought Zynga had somehow invented it) that energy in these sorts of games refills naturally, over time, for free. I played through Dark Legends on launch night and was able to complete an entire campaign with some energy left over. Sure, I had to pause once to refill a couple of bars (they take five minutes each to refill), but other than that, I had no issues with it. If the energy becomes an issue at later levels, I do not know. Let's not confuse things here: The energy mechanic in Dark Legends is nothing new, it's not a scam, and it does not force players to do anything. Allow me to explain, then we're moving on to other mobile MMO news. Continue reading MMObility: Dark Legends' cash shop, Thinix, and Parallel Mafia's launch MMObility: Dark Legends' cash shop, Thinix, and Parallel Mafia's launch originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

XLGAMES teases ArcheAge soundtrack download Posted: 13 Apr 2012 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, ArcheAge, Sandbox Well, the bad news is that there's still no sign of ArcheAge coming to the western market anytime soon. The good news is that you can now treat your ears to a portion of the fantasy sandpark's soundtrack. ArcheAge's official Korean website has made nine tracks available for your downloading pleasure, including several of the game's racial themes as well as the music from a few different in-game locales. A helpful chap on the ArcheAge Source forums has posted translations for all the track titles, and while this certainly isn't all of the music available in XLGAMES' sprawling fantasy epic, it may just tide you over for a bit. XLGAMES teases ArcheAge soundtrack download originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Download page Via: ArcheAge Source

Chinese publisher The9 restructuring, cutting staff Posted: 13 Apr 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Economy, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Miscellaneous One of the Asian market's gaming behemoths is in a spot of financial trouble according to a story published last night by Develop. You might remember The9 as Blizzard's former publishing partner for the Chinese version of World of Warcraft. The company also invested heavily in Red 5 Studios and its upcoming Firefall shooter, and it will be publishing Sony Online Entertainment's PlanetSide 2 in China when the MMOFPS sequel ships. Develop reports that rumors of The9 cutting half of its workforce were exaggerated, but the firm is nonetheless downsizing. "We are optimizing operations programs and the relevant human-relations structures, and this optimization to increase the efficiency of the company is a necessary adjustment," the company said in a prepared statement. Chinese publisher The9 restructuring, cutting staff originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Develop

Aeria Games launches Crystal Saga and Roll n Rock in North America Posted: 13 Apr 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual Aeria Games has been a busy little bee. The free-to-play company has just announced the release of not one, but two new browser-based MMOs to the North American market. Crystal Saga is an open-world game built for competitive PvP. There are five different PvP modes plus an array of traditional fantasy classes like the Rogue, Priest, and Mage. The game also allows players to tame a variety of pets, unlock special soul abilities, and "equip their character with elaborate wings." For an in-depth look at Crystal Saga, check out our impressions in Rise and Shiny. Roll n Rock is an altogether different experience. For one thing, the title features a huge number of clothing and customization options. In fact, Aeria says that no two characters will ever look alike. For another, "players will find a fully-realized world of weddings, malls, game halls, and more," according to a company press release. Roll n Rock also boasts multiplayer puzzles, quests, guilds, crafting, and combat. More info on both titles is available via the links below. [Source: Aeria Games press release] Aeria Games launches Crystal Saga and Roll n Rock in North America originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

TERA's High Elves strut their stuff in a high-octane video Posted: 13 Apr 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Races, TERA "We believe. We remember." Those are the watchwords of the High Elves of TERA, and they're not just talking about rock 'n roll, mind you. As TERA's launch approaches, En Masse is making a strong bid for the legitimacy of this race by releasing its High Elf spotlight video. It's two minutes of flips, ridiculously big weapons, and strong magic flaunted in the face of enemies everywhere. Once a conquering nation that operated under the name of the Children of Karas, the High Elves suffered a humiliating downfall and subsequently re-emerged as a force for good. While their aid to the good people of the world is welcome, they're not quite trusted as of yet. High Elves receive four unique racials: They can teleport to their home city, refill their mana, regenerate mana upon resurrection, and can gather alchemy resources quickly. Check out the video after the jump and let us know if you'll be rolling a High Elf upon launch! Continue reading TERA's High Elves strut their stuff in a high-octane video TERA's High Elves strut their stuff in a high-octane video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

The Daily Grind: What will be the next big thing for MMOs? Posted: 13 Apr 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous When MMOs began, they were all about the sword and sorcery. The fantasy genre was such a big part of RPGs that the transition to MMORPGs only made sense for the magic-wielders among us. When people got sick of fantasy, it was all about sci-fi. Several developers have branched out into other less popular genres from there, but it's no secret that the MMOFPS is settling in to make 2012 its year. But what happens after that? What do you think will be the next genre-of-choice for MMO developers and/or players? 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 will be the next big thing for MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The MMO Report: Big news edition Posted: 12 Apr 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Video, Culture, Previews, News items, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous The MMO Report has some big news this week, and no, it's not about the fact that it's secretly carrying your baby. Nor is it even tied to all of the various big news that the show has this week, and there is quite a bit of that. Obviously, there's the new patch for Star Wars: The Old Republic, and there's also the first in-game footage of both World of Darkness and Defiance, but those aren't the big reveal in the news. So what is it? Well, while we'd normally promise that there's going to be a new episode next week from G4 and Massively, this week it's not quite so clear-cut. The show is going on a brief hiatus for reasons that we'll allow the show itself to explain. So hop on past the break for more MMO news, and tune in when the hiatus ends for another episode. You can keep checking back here forlornly, however. We won't hold it against you. Continue reading The MMO Report: Big news edition The MMO Report: Big news edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: The MMO Report

Ask Massively: These are not Firefall beta impressions edition Posted: 12 Apr 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: News items, Opinion, Massively Meta, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous So near as I can tell from my limited time in the beta thus far, Firefall is a game in which you play a character with remarkably poor conceptions about the function of armor, especially if your character is a girl. I log in, jump around with a pair of rocket boots, and shoot things, and then my computer crashes for some reason after about 20 straight minutes of playing, so I haven't formed many other opinions. The parts I've played have been pretty satisfying, though. But as this week's headline for Ask Massively explains, these are not actually beta impressions. Instead, this is a column covering a couple of the weird issues with our new comment system, something that I have absolutely no doubt will come up again later. If you'd like to have a question answered in a future installment of the column, send it along to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity. Continue reading Ask Massively: These are not Firefall beta impressions edition Ask Massively: These are not Firefall beta impressions edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Summoner's Guidebook: Upping my kill-death ratio Posted: 12 Apr 2012 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook Those of you who have been reading WRUP know that I've been playing a lot of Kassadin lately. He's an assassin with a very high skill cap, and he's ridiculously powerful in Dominion. Kassadin is also kind of hard to play. He has a lot of strange mechanics, and his powerful tricks are somewhat unintuitive. Recently, I had a small epiphany that dramatically improved my skill. This improvement improved more than just my Kassadin game; it boosted my overall skill level with every champion in League of Legends. Before I made this development, I was performing terribly. I ended up playing a lot of bot matches because I felt my execution with Kassadin was really awful, and every time I went back to PvP games, I felt more and more behind. Suddenly, after a string of bad decisions cost me a match, I realized something I was doing wrong and went on to begin dominating. I went from getting focused down early every fight to utterly demolishing teams and causing enemy players to second-guess fighting me 1v1 even with both of us full on life. What's the secret, you ask? I'd like to tell you, so read on! Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Upping my kill-death ratio The Summoner's Guidebook: Upping my kill-death ratio originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

TERA recaps PAX East and a week of reveals with new video Posted: 12 Apr 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA If you're looking forward to TERA but sad about missing En Masse's demo of the fantasy MMO at last weekend's PAX East, cheer up! The firm has just released a recap video that's almost as good as being there. It was a big week overall for TERA, and the reveals included an A-list voice cast, snippets about the launch head-start period, dungeon finder and economic tweaks, and the lush Twilight Valley region showcased at PAX. TERA's PAX demo pitted players against wave after wave of argons and big-ass monsters, not to mention a nasty cuss called Subject 5005. Players who were able to whittle the boss's health down were then given a further challenge when 5005 transformed into an Argonomorph (yeah, we're not sure what that is either, but you can see it via the video after the cut). [Source: En Masse Entertainment press release] Continue reading TERA recaps PAX East and a week of reveals with new video TERA recaps PAX East and a week of reveals with new video originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Pathfinder Online developer blog outlines the path of production Posted: 12 Apr 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Sandbox, Crafting Everything comes from somewhere. That's one of the axioms underpinning Pathfinder Online -- almost every single object that players see will have been produced by a player. In the most recent development blog, the process for gathering and producing items is outlined, and it bears all of the detailed hallmarks of the game's other systems. This isn't a game in which players grab a pickaxe and swing at the nearest rock face for ore; instead, you construct a camp and start up an entire mining operation. The game has a basic three-tiered structure to its non-combat operation, starting with harvesting the resource, moving on to processing and refining the items in question, and finishing with crafting a usable item. And as an outgrowth of the game's open systems, these elements work in multiple directions. Starting a camp to harvest resources, for example, can generate a lot of commotion and attract hostile monsters, necessitating that players deal with the fallout or find someone else willing to do so. No one can accuse the designers of making crafting activities a secondary goal with this degree of detail involved. Pathfinder Online developer blog outlines the path of production originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Developer Blog #10

Dark Legends aims to make your vampire sparkle with a weapon giveaway Posted: 12 Apr 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Contests, New titles, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile, Giveaways, Promotions We posted yesterday that Dark Legends, the latest in a line of F2P mobile and browser-friendly MMOs from Spacetime Studios, is now officially up and running on Android systems and Chrome browsers. Today, Spacetime has a present for all you would-be vampires out there: a pair of rockin' weapons called Devastation Maces. To grab yours, start up the game and either log into your existing account or create a new one. Make sure you're playing the character whom you want to receive the weapons because you can only grab these once per account! Zip through the tutorial missions and then head to the Spacetime Nexus from the main lobby screen. There, on the bottom right of your screen, you'll see a button for enterting a promo code. Enter the code massively20120410 and find your maces waiting for you in your character's inventory. The code has unlimited uses, so everyone who wants one can use it, but do note that it will expire eventually, so snag that gift sooner rather than later. Many thanks to Spacetime Studios -- have fun! Dark Legends aims to make your vampire sparkle with a weapon giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Luck awaits Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures on Friday the 13th Posted: 12 Apr 2012 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Free Realms, Family, Clone Wars Adventures Traditionally, Friday the 13th bears the bad-luck brand. However, tomorrow, you have nothing to fret about if you play Free Realms or Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures because Sony Online Entertainment prepares to entertain its players with superstitious tomfoolery. If you pounce around the land of Free Realms near Champ Chatty and Camp Robbie Lake, be prepared to run into Jason Maskface. This creepy fellow wants to recruit you into scaring people by turning you into a banshee, skeleton, or other graveyard element. Additionally, each participant will receive the ability to turn into a "Scaredy" black cat. The Force is with players of CWA because all transforming holoprojectors go on sale tomorrow at 50% off. If you happen to wander around the main hall, veranda, or hanger of the Jedi Temple, don't be surprised if you or the people around you randomly turn into skeletal Clone Troopers, breaking into a dance -- it's the only way to frighten away the bad luck of Friday the 13th. [Source: SOE press release] Luck awaits Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures on Friday the 13th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wizard101 throws massive mount sale Posted: 12 Apr 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Economy, Free-to-play, Kids, Wizard101 It's a good time to be in the market for a new mode of transportation, especially if you're a cash-strapped wizard or witch in Wizard101. The annual Mount-a-Palooza is back, and KingsIsle Entertainment is magically shrinking costs and teleporting in rare inventory to make as many customers as happy as possible. From now through Sunday, April 22nd, players can snag any permanent mount in the in-game store at a whopping 60% off the list price. Some of the mounts in the store will be only available during this brief window, as KingsIsle is retiring four mounts at the end of the sale while bringing back three other previous retirees for impulse shoppers to peruse. And if you like Wizard101 mounts, you might want to keep an eye on Massively tomorrow. Our crystal ball says that your future may look bright if you do! Wizard101 throws massive mount sale originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Mount-a-Palooza

SWTOR launches the legacy patch, new operation video, and rewards for loyalists Posted: 12 Apr 2012 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Patches, PvE, Star Wars: The Old Republic Star Wars: The Old Republic launched Update 1.2: Legacy this morning, so now fans can do the happy dance... with their companions, thanks to the new Legacy unlocks. But fans and their companions aren't the only ones celebrating; the SWTOR community team itself released a brand-new video focusing on the Update 1.2 operation Explosive Conflict and new bonuses for veteran players. As the video explains, the recently discovered planet of Denova holds the largest supply of uradium in the galaxy. The Republic hired mercenaries to help defend the planet against the Empire, but the gang has gone rogue. Whether you are Empire or Republic, you will win one of the greatest resources for your side if you defeat Kephess and his mutinous mercs. Catch the full "explosive" video after the cut! And if you're an active subscriber, you can look forward to a free Tauntaun Ram pet. Level 50 characters will also be treated to a free month of gametime. Continue reading SWTOR launches the legacy patch, new operation video, and rewards for loyalists SWTOR launches the legacy patch, new operation video, and rewards for loyalists originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: SWTOR news feed

ArenaNet releases a sneak peek of The Making of Guild Wars 2 Posted: 12 Apr 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Previews, Guild Wars 2 Whether you've reserved one of the coveted Guild Wars 2 collector's edition or are too poor or uninterested to have done so, ArenaNet has a special treat for each and every one of you today. Continuing its blog series highlighting the collector's editions insides, ArenaNet posted three spreads (that's six pages) of the book The Making of Guild Wars 2. The revealed pages discuss the creation of the Mesmer class (which was apparently never in doubt), the difficulty of mastering the Necromancer and Thief professions, how the game was designed, the differences between Guild Wars' and Guild Wars 2's hex mechanics, and the effort that went into producing the game's many and varied creatures. This hardcover book is 112 pages and comes with full-color concept art, screenshots, and developer insights into the construction of the game. Earlier today we reported on ArenaNet's glimpse into the creation of the collector's edition statue. ArenaNet releases a sneak peek of The Making of Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: ArenaNet blog

City of Heroes Issue 23 to open Night Ward zone, end Praetorian War Posted: 12 Apr 2012 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play Issue 23's coming up for the caped villains and crusaders of City of Heroes -- the only question is who will survive when it finally arrives. Titled Where Shadows Lie, the update promises to bring an end to the Praetorian War arc, which has seen the demise of both Statesman and Sister Psyche and the emergence of Emperor Cole as the greatest threat the world has ever known. Players will soon be able to force a showdown with Diabolique in a new Magisterium Incarnate Trial. The end of the Praetorian War isn't the only thing planned for Issue 23. Mid-range players will have a new stomping ground called the Night Ward to explore. Night Ward is a level 30 through 35 zone that lies between the worlds of the living and the dead and is host to vile creatures like Drudges, Black Knights, and Animus Arcana. Other goodies on tap include a global LFG channel for all players, an interdimensional portal system for fast travel, and a new signature story arc series, costumes, and powers for VIP players. City of Heroes Issue 23 to open Night Ward zone, end Praetorian War originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Issue 23 overview

Golf MMO Pangya United celebrates three years with item giveaway Posted: 12 Apr 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sports, Contests, Giveaways, Miscellaneous, Anniversary SG Interactive is celebrating the third anniversary of popular golf MMO Pangya United today with giveaways galore, including daily prizes, a scavenger hunt, a golf tournament, store discounts, and double XP bonus weekends. Players who do nothing more than log in to the game from now until April 25th will receive daily chances to win special gear and outfits that are exclusive to this third anniversary. The double XP weekends will take place from April 14th to 15th and from April 21st to 22nd from 11 a.m. EDT until 5 p.m. EDT each day. In addition, we've been given a few item codes of our own for 25 interested readers. These codes will unlock a special golf ball in game called the Comet. We have redemption instructions and 10 codes included after the cut, but we'll be giving out the other 15 throughout the rest of the week on our Twitter and Facebook pages, so stay tuned! Continue reading Golf MMO Pangya United celebrates three years with item giveaway Golf MMO Pangya United celebrates three years with item giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Jagex announces Transformers Universe plans for BotCon 2012, includes sneak-peek and name reservations Posted: 12 Apr 2012 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Transformers Universe Transformers fanatics everywhere are surely gearing up for the official Transformers fan convention, BotCon 2012, which will be taking place in Dallas, Texas, from April 26th until the 29th. Well, Jagex is giving fans of its upcoming MMO Transformers Universe a reason to be even more excited for the con: Attendees will have the opportunity to pledge their allegiances to the Autobots or Decepticons and reserve their in-game character names. On top of that, members of Jagex's Transformers Universe development team will be hanging out at Jagex's con booth, and fans will be able to "meet with members of the development team, attend a behind closed doors Transformers Universe panel discussion, and preview the latest game trailer ahead of its public release." So if you want to get a sneak-peek at Transformers Universe and reserve your favorite character name for the game's release, just set your sights on BotCon 2012 and transform and roll out. [Source: Jagex press release] Jagex announces Transformers Universe plans for BotCon 2012, includes sneak-peek and name reservations originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

World of Tanks celebrates its first year Posted: 12 Apr 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Historical, Video, News items, War, Free-to-play, World of Tanks, Anniversary Bring on the armored confetti! World of Tanks is celebrating its first anniversary, and Wargaming.net is "tankful" for the over 24 million registered players worldwide. Has the growth caused some shell-shock? "Our growth over the last year has been nothing short of amazing. A year ago, no one in the company could possibly imagine that World of Tanks would have skyrocketed like this," said Wargaming.net CEO Victor Kislyi. So what have all these users been up to over the last 12 months? They have participated in 350 million battles, fired more than 75 billion shells (scoring 48 billion direct hits), and destroyed more than eight billion armored vehicles. On top of that, World of Tanks secured the Guinness World Record for the Most Players Online Simultaneously on One MMO Server in January 2011 with 91,311 simultaneous players. The game has even broken that record multiple times, reaching a hefty 450,000 players online at one time. WoT has no intention of resting on its laurels; Kislyi assures us that "the game isn't slowing down anytime soon." In fact, he says, "We have massive expectations for the upcoming year, and we'll continue to drive game development that will keep our players engaged and excited." Join in the celebration: Watch the video after the cut and then check out our one-year retrospective in next week's The Firing Line. [Source: Wargaming.net press release] Continue reading World of Tanks celebrates its first year World of Tanks celebrates its first year originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Guild Counsel: What the WoW speed dating video really tells us about gaming Posted: 12 Apr 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous Over on YouTube, amid the sea of boring, mindless, drivel-filled videos are a few gems that capture worldwide attention and have become iconic. Numa Numa, the evolution of dance, and of course, Charlie bit my finger are all so well-known that they've become part of the lexicon. So when I watched the World of Warcraft speed dating video this week, I couldn't help but think that this video is iconic in its own right. In that short snippet, we can learn a whole lot about the state of gaming and a hint of our future. Read on to see why I think it's more than just a cute conversation. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: What the WoW speed dating video really tells us about gaming The Guild Counsel: What the WoW speed dating video really tells us about gaming originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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• Rare Breeds: Video Game Genres on the Verge of Extinction

Skullgirls Review: Fluid, Competitive, and Full of Over-the-Top Fanservice Posted: 12 Apr 2012 11:43 PM PDT See the child. Hear her beckon forth, surrounded by the carcasses of men harboring murderous intent. Men you ended. Their last breath whispering about the sweetness of a child, or the satisfaction of killing the interloper that you are. Save the child, who you thought was yourn, but she reveals herself to be Mei lost in the world of dust, not the daughter you left behind twelve months ago. The voice in your pocket sputters forth. The man named Henry asks, take her, take the lost child Mei, take her to the mall. Give her medicine left behind by those who never set foot in Haventown, those who drop foodstuffs and medicines from above and never look back. Not since The Event. The Event that scraped the loam off the earth and turned it into the dust that hugs and holds and kills all who wander within. The dust that chips and gnaws at your very stamina. The Event that dominates I Am Alive. So you go, ever pressing on to find wife and child. Gone a year, but now you return, to climb and cobble and carry on. You cannot ignore Mei’s bleat for aid, but other survivors of the Event not so much as settle but subsist their meager existences in the dust covered Haventown. A man yearns cigarettes to pass on. Another man in an amusement park needs medicine to heal the leg that’s been crushed by another uncivilized man. Haventown also starves for supplies. Bottles of water, cans of fruit cocktail, a single inhaler, a handful of painkillers, these all turn into precious manna from heaven through scarcity. Give the emergency kit to the woman with the ankle sprain? What these bemoaning folk have to give, besides gratitude and perhaps a precious shotgun, is the Retry. Haventown harbors death by trial, not saves. It does not yield to the checkpoint that others call for. It takes away a Retry from your knapsack for every fall, stab, or shot you suffer. Deplete your store of Retries, and your journey resumes at the beginning of your current episode. A practice that leeches away minutes of your life. A practice that mocks you by depleting Retries and then flings you back to 45 minutes ago. What is worth more, the rat meat that can heal you, or the Retry that you get for giving rat meat to the gurgling man below? Every survivor, like the woman bound by handcuff to a bench, pleads for help while you mind debates. Similar Article: http://www.1up.com/reviews?cId=3186984 Related posts: Closure Review: A Brilliant Light in the World of Puzzlers Silent Hill Downpour Review: A Faithful Sequel that Struggles to Define Itself RE: Operation Raccoon City Review: A City Worth Saving

Power Rangers Online (KR) Posted: 12 Apr 2012 05:43 PM PDT I am sure most of you would have read about Power Rangers Online through my previous posts (link), which caused quite a wave in the Toku fraternity. As a long-time Super Sentai and Kamen Rider fan myself till today, I wouldn’t have even remotely thought about having an online game based on the series. I mean, how could the game be pulled off since the single-player ones on consoles are virtually bad to the core? Korean studio Ironnos and publisher Ntreev apparently found the equation according to ThisIsGame. A: It is a Dungeon Fighter online-styled Free to Play action MMO. The design of the game is primarily based on the 29th Super Sentai series in Japan, Mahou Sentai Magiranger. The new “Striker” system is added in the currently on-going Closed Beta 2. A: The feedback is generally good, but of course there are negative ones saying the game is too childish, but found the game really fun after trying it out. The players in Closed Beta 1 are mainly people in their 20s and 30s, which is a good sign. The only main negative issue was the operational convenience of the game (controls, UI) which we improved and polished for Closed Beta 2. A: Basically, it is a skill which allows players to summon Rangers from the other series to aid them in their fight. For Closed Beta 2, there will only be Gaoranger (Power Rangers Wild Force) available. More teams will be added in due time. We also added a 2nd combination skill, which requires players to be in-sync in terms of timing to pull it off. A: We are having a hard time deciding how to present this feature to the players, and also which player to control the mecha. We will absolutely be releasing this feature, perhaps as a major content update after the game goes live. A: As the core of Power Rangers is focused on 5 players, we will be designing new features based on this number of players. Being an online game, it will be hard for players to be really coordinated and react at the same time. Hence, the current combination skills will just require a simple activation from all 5 players without having everyone to do so at the same time. In the future, we might have other new features. A: Power Rangers is very famous in Korea as well, and it is part of many people’s childhood and even popular among the kids nowadays. With Super Sentai running in Japan for so many years, there is actually a huge pool of content to be brought into an online game. A: Magiranger was aired on cable TV in Korea back in 2000, and it was the most popular series here. Those people who are in their late 10s and early 20s have mostly watched the show. We thought of using a newer series, Engine Sentai Go-onger (Power Rangers RPM), but the fan base of Magiranger is much wider. The settings of Magiranger’s storyline corresponds to the current age as well, hence it was chosen. A: Toei was hands-on during the process, and the company was very active. Although the whole duration of development slowed down, it can’t be a bad thing as Toei is the series’ creator who came up with all of the content. A: It will go into public beta testing later this year in Korea. Similar Article: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/04/power-rangers-online-kr-brief-interview.html Related posts: Power Rangers Online (KR) Power Rangers Online (KR) Power Rangers Online (KR)

Dungeon Hero (KR) Posted: 12 Apr 2012 05:42 PM PDT I know, Dragon Nest developer Eyedentity Games just announced Dungeon Striker (link) recently, which I think forced EyaSoft to reveal their rendition of a online dungeon crawler as well. EyaSoft, if you remember, developed some rather memorable titles including Luna Online, Legend of Edda and Iris Online. After temporary ceasing all work on their previous games (link), EyaSoft is now back with its 2nd title, Dungeon Hero. The first title to be announced after the studio’s revival was the spiritual successor to Luna Online, Luna Story: ELs (link). Unlike Dungeon Striker which is a real time action slasher, Dungeon Hero still adopts the classic targeting system, which will no doubt draw in a different crowd of gamers who are still not used to action games. Combat is not really that slow, which I can attest with my experience in Legend of Edda and Luna Online. Featuring a “Heroes’ Arena” inspired by MOBA games such as Dota 2, Dungeon Hero is still very much focused on PvP despite EyaSoft’s trademark cute design. There is also a PvP map which accommodates guild wars, supporting 100 Vs 100 players at the same time. Dungeon Hero is expected to enter beta later this year. Similar Article: http://www.mmoculture.com/2012/04/dungeon-hero-kr-eyasofts-dungeon.html Related posts: Luna Plus Dungeon Striker (KR) Dungeon Keeper Online (CN)

Fus Roh Dah Trademark Application Posted: 12 Apr 2012 05:42 PM PDT Fus Ro Dah, Popular Intenet meme that  arose from the Dragon Shout in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, has had several patent applications. Bethesda Softworks parent company Zenimax Media has applied for no less than 6 different trademarks on Fus Roh Da, filed at the US Patent Trademarks Office on 6 April. It's a canny move we've come to expect from the company, as the Fus Ro Da patents cover an immediately reconisable brand among gamers, for everything from a new gaming franchise to t-shirts, dolls and other merchandise. Similar Article: http://www.totalpcgaming.com/latest-pc-news/fus-roh-dah-trademark-application/ Related posts: Zenimax And Mojang Reach 'Scrolls' Settlement Assassin’s Creed Loses Another Creative Director Interplay and Bethesda settle over Fallout

Rare Breeds: Video Game Genres on the Verge of Extinction Posted: 12 Apr 2012 11:42 AM PDT The game industry has little room for failures. Like a vast and cruel wilderness, it’s rarely merciful to the games that can’t adapt to a changing environment. Yet it’s rare that an entire breed of game goes completely extinct; as long as there’s one small developer or semi-profitable fan following, a genre can survive. It’ll just be on the endangered list — that’s where you’ll find all of the following species, which were once healthy or prosperous in some way. But time and technology dulled their appeal, and faster, leaner, more appealing games took over. Some genres have made comebacks in recent years. Between Telltale Games’ catalog and Double Fine’s newly funded project, the classic point-and-click adventure game isn’t doing so badly. But other kinds of games aren’t so lucky, as the current market finds these formerly proud creatures subsisting only through independent studios or cheap downloadable software. So let’s take a look at them, their history, and the many small ways they endure today. INTERACTIVE MOVIES First Classified: 1983 Primary Habitats: Arcade, Sega CD, TurboGrafx CD, anything with a CD or laserdisc drive Distinguishing Features: Grainy footage, c-list actors, overwhelming awkwardness, possibly intentional comedy Some will argue that interactive movies technically aren’t games at all. From their genesis, the genre was billed as a playable film, deliberately blurring the line between a traditional video game and cinema. They’re perhaps the ideal case of a game genre born simply from a rise in new technology. That new technology was at first the laserdisc. Unwieldy and now obsolete, the new form of media was nonetheless a marvel in the early 1980s, when it allowed ample storage space and streaming video. Arcade developers took advantage of this and put all sorts of sharp-looking video footage in their laserdisc games, from the borrowed sci-fi pastiche of Sega’s Altron Belt to the original animation of Don Bluth’s Dragon’s Lair. While live-action footage was popular, it’s the animated offerings that are remembered most fondly today. In the eyes of history, Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace led the movement, supported by Japanese creations like Time Gal, Cliff Hanger, and the glorious cheese of Road Avenger. All of these games followed the same idea: players watched video footage, looked for some quick visual cue, and then moved the joystick or buttons accordingly. It made for stiff trial-and-error gameplay, and the average arcade-goer had to sacrifice many quarters and watch Dirk the Daring or Reiko “Time Gal” Kirishima meet many comical deaths. Players essentially paid to watch a movie in fifteen-second bursts, and the appeal wore thin over time. The arcade boom ended and laserdisc games grew too expensive for many companies to justify, but interactive movies got a second chance — and became the most mocked games of an entire generation. As CDs came into vogue in the late 1980s, consoles gradually adopted them. The TurboGrafx-16′s expensive CD-playing attachment launched shortly after the vanilla cartridge-based system, Sega pushed out its own CD add-on for the Genesis in 1993, and even Nintendo looked into a Super NES CD addition before discarding the idea. And with these CD peripherals there were interactive movies, also termed “full-motion video” games. The TurboGrafx-16 ventured into this new territory with It Came From the Desert and Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective, but these were mere flirtations compared to Sega, who made FMV the hallmark of the Sega CD. Fueled by their new development studio Digital Pictures, Sega’s creations ranged from music-video simulators to flight sims, all stitched together from grainy footage. Similar Article: http://www.1up.com/features/rare-breeds-extinct-video-game-genres Related posts: Hollywood's Video Game Invasion of the '90s New Neverwinter Video Shows In-Game Visuals, Gameplay MechWarrior Tactics is Part CCG Part Video Game

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• Skullgirls Review: Fluid, Competitive, and Full of Over-the-Top Fanservice
• How Red Dead Redemption 2 Could Reinvent the Old West
• OP-ED: Where Do Gamers Draw the Line Between Creator and Creation?
• OP-ED: Things Could Be Worse for THQ

Skullgirls Review: Fluid, Competitive, and Full of Over-the-Top Fanservice Posted: 12 Apr 2012 05:48 PM PDT Any fan of fighting games knows that the genre offers a lot of options these days -- almost too many. With a new fighter poised to be the next competitive masterpiece coming out seemingly every month, each new contender needs to offer something to set it apart from the rest. Skullgirls gives us plenty of reasons to pick it up, with Mike Z -- project lead, designer and long-time competitive fighting game player -- addressing many of the common problems that have plagued the genre for decades now. It's a very solid and fun fighter overall. At the same time, though, a few of the basic features we've come to expect in fighters are mysteriously absent, and the polarizing visual style can make it difficult to convince others to give the game a shot no matter how much you enjoy the game.

How Red Dead Redemption 2 Could Reinvent the Old West Posted: 12 Apr 2012 05:38 PM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet How Red Dead Redemption 2 Could Reinvent the Old West In order to journey forward, Rockstar needs to look back. By: Nickolai Adkins April 12, 2012 In the most classical Cowboys and Indians-kind of ways, the American frontier has been used as the canvas for literature and film since each has had breadth to embrace the era and its infinitely contested lands. But the dust-mottled landscape of violence, thieves, and legends that remain ever so familiar in other media has been implemented surprisingly little in the gaming medium. So when Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar's spur-saddled, 2010 magnum opus hit, it immediately impressed both the gaming press and consumers alike, garnering unanimous high praise and quickly becoming as viable in sales as Rockstar's flagship Grand Theft Auto series. RDR took the industry by storm with a well written, expertly paced, and massively open world. With such a high bar set by the first installment, how can a sequel possibly meet fans' expectations, let alone exceed them? Like the first game so cleverly ingested much of what has been utilized before, much can be gleaned from investigating the genre's storied past in celluloid, on page, and in real life. John Ford and Caricatures of the Old West

OP-ED: Where Do Gamers Draw the Line Between Creator and Creation? Posted: 12 Apr 2012 02:49 PM PDT Nearly five years after its initial announcement, Polytron's Fez arrives on Xbox Live Arcade this week. It's a great game that delivers on its unique premise, proving well worth the wait. And yet, many gamers have expressed their intention to forego playing Fez despite having followed its development avidly for so long. Quality and anticipation be damned; to them, Fez is simply off the table.

OP-ED: Things Could Be Worse for THQ Posted: 12 Apr 2012 02:41 PM PDT THQ is not in the greatest position it's ever found itself, what with it facing a potential NASDAQ delisting and its lowest stock prices since the mid-90s. Earlier this year there were rumors the publisher had canceled its entire slate of 2014 games, including its MMO Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online. This was quickly denied, although the company has laid off a large number of employees since then in an attempt to restructure its business. Part of that restructuring includes changing Dark Millennium Online from an MMO into a more standard style of game. As described in the press release late last month, it will now be developed as an "immersive single player and online multiplayer experience with robust digital content, and engaging community features." That sounds nice and all, but the idea of converting your typical World of Warcraft-style MMO into a game that can be enjoyed by a single player is a tall order. According to the company's executive vice president of core games, Danny Bilson, it won't be a difficult conversion due to the innovations developer Vigil Games (which lost 79 full-time employees last month) had come up with.

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