| Guild Wars: What keeps fans coming back Posted: 28 Apr 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Opinion, Anniversary  Spring is in the air in Guild Wars! I can hear the pitter-patter of speed-enhanced feet coming from the Dragon Arena, the roar of the crowds watching Rollerbeetle races, and the endless grunts of unlucky players on the Nine Rings. It's a celebration -- the celebration of the seventh anniversary of Guild Wars, to be precise. In and around the annual birthday cupcake hoarding that's going on for the duration of festivities, this year has a few other exciting tricks up its proverbial sleeve. For one thing, a new and limited-edition pet has been made available; the Hound of Balthazar can be unlocked for free by having a brief chat with Ceira, Sworn to Fire, in Embark Beach. For another, the bonuses from all weekend events are active for the anniversary, so players will have to go pretty far out of their way to not reap sweet, sweet rewards for any time spent in-game between now and May 8th. Seven's a pretty nice number, don't you think? This is something of a special event, as ArenaNet's promise to get Guild Wars 2 shipped before year's end means that this'll be the last birthday that Guild Wars gets to have before the sequel comes along and grabs everyone's attention -- if, indeed, that's not already happening, what with the beta weekend that's going on right this moment. Even with Guild Wars 2 soaking up some limelight, though, Guild Wars is doing its creators proud and aging with grace and dignity. Let's take a look at some of the building blocks of the game's longevity. Continue reading Guild Wars: What keeps fans coming back  Guild Wars: What keeps fans coming back originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WRUP: Yes, it's the beta weekend edition Posted: 28 Apr 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Massively Meta, Miscellaneous Yes, it's true, you can finally log in and play Guild Wars 2 for a little while. You still can't play two of the five races, but you can sit down at your computer this evening and emerge two days later, a bleary-eyed shell of a human being. And then when you get the full game, you can get bored within an hour. So maybe this whole beta weekend thing is a double-edged sword after all. Or maybe not -- this is going to be the first I've played of it. As you can probably guess, this week's WRUP involves a lot of skirmishes being fought by organizations for the second time, and I'm not talking about Business Fisticuffs II: Fisticuff Harder. It also contains the other Massively staff activities for the weekend as well as our opinions on the definition of pay-to-win. So jump on past the break to let us know what you're doing, and leave your own plans in the comments. Continue reading WRUP: Yes, it's the beta weekend edition WRUP: Yes, it's the beta weekend edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: Do MMO studios owe us item restoration? Posted: 28 Apr 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous MMOs vary widely in their account and item restoration policies. In some games, like some of NCsoft's offerings, if you're hacked or you lose access to your account because your memory is toast, it's game over unless you happen to have your original account key. In games like Lord of the Rings Online, you're not guaranteed full reimbursement of your money or gear if a hacker strips you naked and leaves you dancing on a mailbox. BioWare won't refund guild bank items stolen by rogue guildies, either. In World of Warcraft, you'll almost always get your account back if you're hacked or you accidentally delete your favorite hat, but it might take an agonizingly long time. This week, Blizzard launched a new item restoration service that attempts to solve the second problem by simplifying the process of reclaiming lost trinkets (though not items stolen by hackers). I was surprised that Blizzard considers this a problem worthy of automation, but maybe it's more common than I thought. So now I'm wondering whether companies are actually obligated to restore items we've lost through our own goof-ups. Do you consider this a vital service of a support team, and would you quit a game if your items were truly gone for good?  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: Do MMO studios owe us item restoration? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| TERA collector's edition gets unboxed Posted: 27 Apr 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Culture, Launches, Previews, News items, TERA If you're a big enough fan of TERA to pre-order the collector's edition, you probably can't wait to get your hands on it and look at what's inside. But maybe you can't wait on a very literal level -- you have to see what's in that box right now. You're in luck, as the collector's edition has been unboxed by the fine folks at Curse, giving you a chance to see (if not handle) the bonus additions before the game's full launch. So what's contained therein? You probably know already if you pre-ordered: a map, a handsome box, a compass, and of course, the game itself. But there are lots of specifics to cover, like the quality of the extra little collectibles. So if you're in the literally-cannot-wait crowd, click on past the break to see what it's like to open up a new copy of the game before you can do so in real life. Continue reading TERA collector's edition gets unboxed TERA collector's edition gets unboxed originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Betawatch: April 21 - 27, 2012 Posted: 27 Apr 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Launches, MMO industry, New titles, Massively Meta, Betawatch, Miscellaneous Tamer Saga and Grimlands join Betawatch's closed beta list this week, while Pirate101 (arrrr!) and Dragon Crusade have been added to our alpha list. And if you were hoping to jump into Spirit Tales' open beta on Wednesday, you're out of luck: Koramgame has postponed that test until May 10th with a lengthy explanation. Want in on the Neverwinter beta? Prepurchasing Torchlight 2 through Perfect World Entertainment's portal will guarantee your spot. You're no doubt keeping a steady eye on both TERA, which has opened up its head start program in advance of launch next week, and Guild Wars 2, whose first beta event for prepurchasers began earlier today. EVE Fanfest attendees can now redeem their voucher codes for DUST 514 as well. Finally, reader Chet tipped us off to the rumor fact that Salem beta test invites are going out! Enjoy the full Betawatch roundup after the break. Continue reading Betawatch: April 21 - 27, 2012 Betawatch: April 21 - 27, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MMObility: Killing the bland in Iruna Online Posted: 27 Apr 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Bugs, Business models, New titles, Previews, Opinion, Humor, MMObility Once again, Droid Gamers sent me a sweet tip regarding yet another Android-based MMO. This time around, it's Iruna Online, a real and actual MMO complete with open worlds, " millions" of other players, quests, equipment and monsters. In fact, the game reminds me in some ways of Final Fantasy XI. Iruna Online is not the first mobile MMO that has felt like the Square-Enix favorite, perhaps because they all share a similar art style. As I played, it struck me that the newer smartphones have enough power to run a game that looks as good as Final Fantasy XI, albeit with some graphics options turned down or off. The similarities basically end there, however. Iruna Online is one of the newer stock of mobile MMOs that show mobile massively multiplayer gaming is really here. It should not be shocking or surprising anymore. Just as in the PC market, we are going to see many titles stream from the Eastern market. Many of them will be duds, but many will also be very, very cool. Continue reading MMObility: Killing the bland in Iruna Online MMObility: Killing the bland in Iruna Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Pathfinder Online goes diving into dungeons Posted: 27 Apr 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Dungeons For those of you unfamiliar with the Pathfinder game system, what you need to know is that it's based on the core rules of Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition. Needless to say, dungeons feature pretty heavily in the tabletop game. So Pathfinder Online has presented itself with a bit of a conundrum: How can it combine the traditionally instanced format of MMO dungeons with the open-world approach of the game? As detailed in the latest development blog, the team is aiming at something between the normal instancing methodology and more sandbox-style open regions. In short, while dungeons themselves won't be instanced, the entrances will be hidden in various locations. When a dungeon is generated, a player who finds the entrance will have that dungeon locked to him or her until the dungeon is cleared, at which point it will despawn and be replaced by another dungeon. It's an interesting idea, and it's well worth reading the full blog for a look at how this system might work in practice. Pathfinder Online goes diving into dungeons originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Star Wars: The Old Republic answers a new set of community questions Posted: 27 Apr 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Previews, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Community Q&A The Legacy update is live, the Rakghoul Plague is contained for the time being, and Star Wars: The Old Republic fans are eager for more content and more news. The latest set of community questions and answers doesn't really deliver any new content, but it does deliver tantalizing promises, such as the fact that players can expect to roster of playable races to expand this year. There are also promises of an overhaul to the Achievement system and more Legacy-wide rewards, potentially including datacrons. Not all of the news is good, however, with dual spec confirmed to not be included in the the upcoming patch 1.3 (but hopefully in the following patch). There are also a few in-depth answers about crafting and the necessity of finding a crafter for optimal item modifications. Players can also expect to see future spontaneous world events, although the team doesn't want to precisely replicate the Rakghoul Plague with a new skin. Take a look at the full list of questions, and if you want something answered that isn't there, submit it for the next round. Star Wars: The Old Republic answers a new set of community questions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| League of Legends announces full release of Spectator Mode Posted: 27 Apr 2012 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, MOBA, League of Legends  League of Legends players, go make some popcorn and grab a drink because the game's spectator mode is almost ready to go into full release. After the game's next patch, players will be able to spectate League of Legends games in a variety of ways, and they can enhance the experience using a number of nifty features. If you just wanna watch your friend's game and see how he does, no problem. All friends' games will be watchable just by right-clicking their names on your friends list. There's a three-minute delay on the playback, though, so don't try any tricky business. If you're jonesin' for some high-level play, the featured games menu will let you watch the games being played by top-ranked League players around the world. If you wanna analyze their matches, you can rewind, slow down, and fast forward previous footage, allowing you to scrutinize every gank in excruciating detail. Riot Games was nice enough to put together some footage of the new feature in action, as well, so you can check that out right here for the full details. [Source: Riot Games press release] Continue reading League of Legends announces full release of Spectator Mode League of Legends announces full release of Spectator Mode originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| EVE Online's CSM 7 looks toward the future, opens communication Posted: 27 Apr 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, News items, Sandbox  EVE Online's CSM 7 took office earlier this month on April 4th, and the Council of Stellar Management is now officially in business. Today, the members of the CSM have released a letter outlining their plans and philosophies for the future. They first take the opportunity to announce their CSM officer choices, revealing Seleene as the CSM Chairman, Trebor Daehdoow as Vice-Chairman, Two Step as the CSM Secretary, and Hans Jagerblitzen as Vice-Secretary. The letter then takes a moment to address the upcoming CSM 7 summit, which will be taking place between May 30th and June 1st. The CSM members note that "the summit will be a major opportunity to provide community input as CCP develops [its] plans for the Winter Expansion," and they encourage players to make their voices heard. But how? Well, the letter states that "one thing that CSM 7 will be doing differently than past CSMs is directly communicating with the players as much as possible" through a variety of media, including in-game chat, the CSM member blog, Twitter, and monthly Town Hall meetings, the first of which will be taking place in-game on May 19th. So get out there, players. Now's your chance to make your voices heard and to shape the future of the EVE Online galaxy. EVE Online's CSM 7 looks toward the future, opens communication originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Strike like Lightning with PlanetSide 2's latest vehicle reveal Posted: 27 Apr 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2  In PlanetSide 2, wars are not won by infantry alone. Sometimes you've gotta bring in the big guns, and sometimes you've gotta attach those big guns to even bigger tanks that can turn unwitting enemy foot soldiers into a fine crimson smear on the ground. For those times, Sony Online Entertainment has announced the latest Nanite Systems vehicle, the Lightning. The lightning is a lightweight 75mm tank that uses its mobility and obscene rate of fire to rain havoc upon the battlefield while avoiding enemy counterattacks. The one-man tank can fire up to six rounds in under three seconds, "allowing the driver to quickly adjust [his] aim after [his] first shot." The modular turret can be swapped out for a variety of other turret types for those times when you just want to mix it up a bit, and the Lightning's Skyguard turret is "the most effective ground-to-air weapon on the battlefield, as it's fitted with 40mm cannons with an elevation range of 80 degrees." To top it all off, the Lightning is one of the fastest ground vehicles, which makes it just as useful for tactical retreats as it is for vehicular manslaughter. The vehicle will be available to all three factions, so no matter which side you're fighting for, you can rest assured that you'll have some speedy firepower at your disposal. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release] Strike like Lightning with PlanetSide 2's latest vehicle reveal originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Allods Online to add new features, anniversary gifts Posted: 27 Apr 2012 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, PvP, Free-to-play, Allods Online Allods Online is barreling down the road toward Patch 3.0.0.02 (the extra decimals denote quality!), with an array of fine features to anticipate. Chief among those is an overall improved questing experience. The patch will give players additional ways to track and find quests, not to mention a new "auto-move" feature that will whisk you away to your desired destination. Next on the patch's agenda is the game's second PvP skirmish map: Deserted Farm. Deserted Farm will be a 6v6 skirmish where players will struggle to control a central flag. The twist to the map is that a pair of cannon can focus-fire onto this location, so obtaining one or both of these is mandatory for success. Finally, 3.0.0.02 (the extra decimals are a secret code that tells you gPotato loves you) will add a new raid boss to the Kingdom of Elements. His name is Gen'ul, Lord of the Volcano, and he'll be very pleased to meet and then wipe the floor with you. Multiple raids can attempt to down him at the same time and then squabble over the huge treasure chest that he drops. The Allods site has also been updated with details on the anniversary celebration and gifts. Allods Online to add new features, anniversary gifts originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Star Trek Online announces junior officer appreciation weekend Posted: 27 Apr 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play  We all know how the story goes: Starfleet captain goes out on an away mission, kills some of the locals, and comes back home to a hero's welcome. Bah! What about the little guys? What about the poor redshirts who were callously thrown to the lions so that their captains could sit and watch from the comfort of space, huh? Well thankfully, Cryptic Studios is not blind to the contributions of Star Trek Online's junior officers, and the studio has announced a junior officer appreciation weekend in their honor. From today, April 27th, until Monday, April 30th, STO players will be able to give back to their valued junior officers in the form of up to 50% bonus commendation experience for all duty officer assignments. In addition, captains can receive a free purple-quality duty officer "with a unique active roster power," and any duty officer packs opened during the course of the event will each contain a free additional green-quality or better duty officer, so if you're looking to pad out your junior officer roster after the redshirt massacre that happened last mission, now's the perfect time to do so. Just head on over to the STO official site for the full details. Star Trek Online announces junior officer appreciation weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Storyboard: The growth of a plot tumor Posted: 27 Apr 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous Everyone has had that friend. Heck, almost everyone has been that friend at one point or another. It's the guy who just found himself in a relationship, and suddenly every single topic of conversation jerks right back to that relationship. It starts out subtle, but eventually your friend will turn everything back to the topic of his relationship, up to and including a car crash. And while said friend isn't a bad guy, you start enjoying your time with him less and less because he's down to a single droning note that's no longer interesting. The exact same thing happens in roleplaying. It's not usually about a girlfriend, although it can be. It's any aspect of a character's plot that grows until it's all-encompassing and grows into the plots of other characters as well. It's a plot tumor. It's a growth bigger than it has any right to be, and it's the sort of thing that can really drive you away from roleplaying whether or not you liked the plot in the beginning. Continue reading Storyboard: The growth of a plot tumor Storyboard: The growth of a plot tumor originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Firing Line: Five reasons to love Tribes: Ascend Posted: 27 Apr 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Sci-fi, Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, War, Free-to-play, DUST 514, World of Warplanes, The Firing Line Oh, Tribes: Ascend, if only you were an MMO. Actually, wait a minute. When I think on it, if Hi-Rez Studios' new free-to-play sci-fi shooter were an MMO, I probably wouldn't like it as much. There's something to be said for frequent updates and instant gameplay gratification, and Tribes provides those things (and more) in spades. Continue reading The Firing Line: Five reasons to love Tribes: Ascend The Firing Line: Five reasons to love Tribes: Ascend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Some Assembly Required: Ten years warp by for Vendetta Online Posted: 27 Apr 2012 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Opinion, Massively Event Coverage, Some Assembly Required, Sandbox, Anniversary If I were to start describing a game where players have zipped about one persistent universe as one of three factions in customizable ships vying for wealth and territory by mining, dodging hostiles, fulfilling missions, blasting one another to bits, docking at stations, blazing trade routes, and pirating for the past 10 years, you would say... Vendetta Online, of course! Perhaps the longest-running epic space-based sandbox MMORPG, the game hit a milestone last week that few others can boast: It turned 10! Although its major retail distribution was in 2004, Vendetta Online marks its anniversary as the day it was spotlighted in Penny Arcade during the game's completely open and public alpha (which means it basically launched since everyone could dive in and play) and the population exploded! A truly multi-platform MMORPG, Guild Software's game can be played on Windows, Mac, Linux, and even Android, giving pilots the freedom to log in when and where they may, even to surreptitiously check the markets or maybe sneak an event in while at work via a smartphone. After all, who wants to miss an event just because employment gets in the way? Luckily for those of us without an Android, Vendetta Online celebrated its decennial anniversary with some developer-run in-game events over the weekend. Always willing to join the party, Some Assembly Required strapped into a shiny new ship and blasted right into the thick of things in order to share in the festivities. Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Ten years warp by for Vendetta Online Some Assembly Required: Ten years warp by for Vendetta Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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