| MMObility: Developments in Gaikai, OnLive shine light on streaming future Posted: 06 Jul 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, MMObility Video game streaming software and systems is a hot topic. I've mentioned more than once that I think browser-based gaming (specifically MMOs) will be the main way we get our MMO fix within five years. Browser-based gaming is already responsible for a massive chunk of our MMO gaming. All it takes is one look at the number of players of games like RuneScape, Club Penguin, Travian, Spacetime Studio's collection, War of Dragons, Glitch, Evony (and its " nearly 30 million customers worldwide"), Grepolis, Bigpoint's stable, and many, many others to see that the number of us who play MMOs through our browsers is pretty staggering. Streaming content is next. TERA recently invited players to try out the game using a streaming client that is hosted by Gaikai, a streaming service that was recently bought out by Sony for a cool $380 million. While it does not yet stream MMOs, OnLive has been adding games to its collection for quite a while, embedding itself into televisions, tablets, and PCs and now offering a mobile desktop that gives iPad users access to a virtual PC desktop. I have successfully played many browser-based MMOs through that virtual desktop's browser. Big Fish games, a non-MMO developer that produces "a new game ever day," announced that it too will offer a streaming service this summer. I squealed out loud when I heard that one. Does this mean streaming content is closer to mainstream than I previously thought? Continue reading MMObility: Developments in Gaikai, OnLive shine light on streaming future  MMObility: Developments in Gaikai, OnLive shine light on streaming future originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MMO Blender: Larry's Firefly Effect Posted: 06 Jul 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Guild Wars, Lord of the Rings Online, Culture, Economy, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Star Trek Online, Guild Wars 2, DC Universe Online, Sandbox, MMO Blender Many MMOs suffer from not actually having immersive worlds. As a player, I always find a separation between what I am doing and what the rest of the playerbase sees. My personal gameplay has little to no effect on anyone else. MMO communities need to have more interdependency -- positive and negative. I also believe that player choice also plays a major part in making a believable world, and I don't just mean just in some arbitrary dialogue choice, although that can be part of it. Actions in the world should play a part, too. Many MMOs have the pieces already in place to make wonderful, immersing worlds, but for some reason, no one has ever put all the pieces together. What does it take to make a believable, fun world for a player to not only live in but feel that he is a part of the greater universe? Continue reading MMO Blender: Larry's Firefly Effect MMO Blender: Larry's Firefly Effect originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| League of Legends summer arena qualifiers kick off July 10th Posted: 06 Jul 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, MOBA, League of Legends Some people are competitive in their gaming, and then there is competitive gaming. For League of Legends players, the competition can also have a huge payout. This summer, LoL will hold an arena competition in New York City with a $10,000 reward for the winning team. Interested in showing off your mad skills? Then hurry and sign up; teams who want to compete in this live event must participate in the qualifying events that begin Tuesday, July 10th. The qualifier is split into NA and EU regions. Registration is $50 per team and players can only register in their home region. The first-place team from each region will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to NYC to compete in the live arena August 3rd through 5th. For a full schedule of the qualifying events, check out the announcement at Major League Gaming. League of Legends summer arena qualifiers kick off July 10th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Taikodom prepares for August closed beta Posted: 06 Jul 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Free-to-play, Browser Earlier this year we were wondering what had happened to Brazilian sci-fi shooter Taikodom -- and if we'd ever see it at all. Happily, things are looking up in this department: Reloaded Games announced that the title is now on the verge of closed beta testing. CEO Bjorn Book-Larsson said that beta signups will commence shortly and the title will go into closed beta in August. If you're wondering what Taikodom is all about, Book-Larsson attempts to sum it up as thus: "The game is a cross between EVE Online, Risk, and a shooter/action game, and has some incredible first-person space vehicle battles, combined with the capability to build large strategic battleships. Players will be able to not only engage in some incredible head-to-head combat in space, but also control vast territory and engage in interstellar politics." Taikodom has taken so long in getting to beta because the team switched to the Unity3D engine halfway through its development. The title is slated to launch this year on the PC and Mac, with tablet and console versions to follow in 2013. Taikodom prepares for August closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: How long do you wait before looking up a puzzle's solution online? Posted: 06 Jul 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous When I was much younger, I spent hours and hours solving puzzle games without ever thinking about running to an online source for the answers. OK, so there was no World Wide Web when I was younger, but you get my point. While growing up, I found that the less free time I had, the more I would turn to online guides to find the answer after only a handful of attempts. Strangely enough, The Secret World has reignited my love for solving puzzles the old-fashioned way. But what about you? Do you run to online puzzle solutions from the start, wait a bit to see whether you can solve them yourself, or swear off cheat sheets completely? Let us know!  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 long do you wait before looking up a puzzle's solution online? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Guild Wars 2 shirt designs up for voting Posted: 05 Jul 2012 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Events, real-world, News items, Guild Wars 2 Guild Wars 2 fans have been clamoring for a few things over the years. The first repeated request, a release date, was granted just last week. Two other things -- a way to turn into walking billboards for ArenaNet and a way to give the company more money -- are soon to be realized as well. Until now, Guild Wars 2 clothing has been reserved only for the lucky and dedicated few who can get themselves to conventions. Soon shirts branded with the awesome art associated with Guild Wars 2 will be available for the masses. Better still, you can have a say in what shirts get made. There's a small gallery of possible designs hosted on the Guild Wars 2 Facebook page. Check it out, pick your three favorites, and vote for those favorites. The poll is only open until 3:00 p.m. EDT on July 6th, so don't deliberate too long. Guild Wars 2 shirt designs up for voting originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Summoner's Guidebook: Balancing League of Legends' offense and defense items Posted: 05 Jul 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: PvP, Free-to-play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook Last week, we talked specifically about building League of Legends' attack damage champions and the multiplicative effects the various bonuses have on these heroes. Building attack items is fairly cut and dried. The good attack damage items (IE, BT, PD, LW) are common to most pure AD builds, and there's not a lot of reason to heavily deviate from building them. Defense is another story, however. In Dominion, defense is more heavily itemized than in Summoner's Rift simply because irregular engagements happen constantly. On Summoners' Rift, there is more structure to specific engagements, and a single champion getting spotted out of place either results in an epic bait or a brutal gank. In those situations, defense doesn't help much. However, it's important to itemize defense in any game mode, and in Dominion, it is outright critical. Building only damage items will cause your champion to get melted by enemy attacks very early on, while building defense allows you to play more aggressively and capitalize on damage opportunities with less risk. Building defense is also important for bruisers who must close the gap to melee range, which inevitably means taking more damage than normal. Want to know all about the best time to start building tank? Read on! Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Balancing League of Legends' offense and defense items The Summoner's Guidebook: Balancing League of Legends' offense and defense items originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Ask Massively: I hope you enjoyed your explosions edition Posted: 05 Jul 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, News items, Opinion, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous For Americans, yesterday was July 4th, also known as the one time of the year when it is considered perfectly acceptable to detonate small explosives in your yard. Why is that how we celebrate the birthday of our nation? I don't know. I just know that explosions are pretty fun, and so I look forward to the annual detonation of cheap boxes filled with gunpowder and other chemicals, creating a visually pleasing shower of sparks and flames. I'm also not clear on why we dress up like movie characters to celebrate the end of October, for the record. Whether or not you enjoyed yesterday's round of explosions, it's time for this week's installment of Ask Massively, in which we tackle the big questions. Specifically, we tackle two big questions about the pace of major news releases and the boxed retail model for MMOs. If you've got a question you'd like to see answered in a future installment of the column, leave it in the comments below or mail it to ask@massively.com. Questions may be edited slightly for brevity and/or clarity. Continue reading Ask Massively: I hope you enjoyed your explosions edition Ask Massively: I hope you enjoyed your explosions edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Vanguard welcomes the return of Brad McQuaid Posted: 05 Jul 2012 04:15 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, Vanguard, Free-to-play If you're a fan of Vanguard, you know full well who Brad McQuaid is. If you're a fan of EverQuest, you're probably also familiar with the name. And now, the man behind both games has returned to Vanguard after a lengthy hiatus to rejoin the development team. Considering the game is heading toward a free-to-play conversion in the not-too-distant future, it can certainly be seen as an auspicious event. McQuaid is the focus of the game's newest Developer Spotlight, where he discusses his role in starting the game and in its early development. He confesses that he took a long break from playing the game, but he seems quite happy with how it's developed in his absence. Looking to the future, McQuaid also talks about making loot drops and quest rewards more viable throughout the game, encouraging players to explore a variety of zones instead of just a few old standards. The interview is remarkably low-key considering that the man in question was one of the driving forces behind the game's original launch. Players can draw their own conclusions about what McQuaid's return will mean for the game in the long run. [Thanks to Ryan for the tip!] Vanguard welcomes the return of Brad McQuaid originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Perfect Ten: Amazing amateur MMO cosplay Posted: 05 Jul 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Aion, Asheron's Call, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Guild Wars, Culture, Warhammer Online, The Secret World, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous, Diablo III I find the whole cosplay subculture at conventions to be both foreign and fascinating. On one hand, I deeply admire the dedication and time it takes to put together a complex outfit and then spend all day wearing this custom-made sweatsuit. On the other hand, it does tend to bring out some folks' narcissism and unnecessary cleavage. While many facets of geek and video game culture are adequately represented by those crazy cosplayers, I don't see as much when it comes to MMORPGs. Was it truly underrepresented, I wondered, or have I just never looked? Consider the following 10 costumes the result of an afternoon or two combing through so much amateur cosplay that it vastly exceeded the recommended amount as set by the American Medical Association. I'm glad to make the sacrifice for you, and besides, you just know those doctors are the ones in these outfits, anyway. (Please note that if you're looking for more skin than skill, this will not be the list for you!) Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Amazing amateur MMO cosplay The Perfect Ten: Amazing amateur MMO cosplay originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The MMO Report: Marvel Heroes edition Posted: 05 Jul 2012 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Video, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Marvel Heroes, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous The title of this week's installment of The MMO Report isn't meant to be catchy; it's meant to make it clear that the show is exactly what it says on the tin. Host Casey Schreiner is joined by Gazillion Entertainment president David Brevik to talk about the upcoming Marvel Heroes for the entirety of the show as well as show off a bit of footage from the game's various trailers. If that sounds interesting to you, then you're in for a treat. Brevik explains that while players will be forced to choose from an existing roster of heroes, the game does offer several ways to differentiate between them through different costumes and different power selections. He also explains that he wants the game to feel similar to Diablo II in gameplay, with the MMO aspects changing the play environment rather than the core gameplay. Check out the episode just past the cut, and stay tuned each week for a new installment of The MMO Report from G4TV and Massively. Continue reading The MMO Report: Marvel Heroes edition The MMO Report: Marvel Heroes edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Allods Online announces patch 3.0.4, new North American server Posted: 05 Jul 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Allods Online  Allods Online players are probably still busy playing with their new toys from the recent patches, such as the new Dead City raid and the Bard class, but gPotato has plenty more tricks up its sleeve. In a new post on the game's official site, the studio has announced Allods' next major update, patch 3.0.4. Information on the new update is scarce at the moment, but the post promises that "previews... of some of the new content and mechanics [players will] be able to experience in the new update" will be cropping up over the next few weeks on the official site. A few of these features include "changes to the mentor system and autorun, the Psionicist and Paladin reworks, new Allods to explore... and more." But that's not all that this new update is bringing with it. North American players are in for an extra treat in the form of a brand-new server. That's right, in addition to all the fancy new features that 3.0.4 is bringing to the game, NA players will be able to start on a fresh, clean server. This is somewhat odd, considering that the game recently merged two of its servers into one. The studio claims that it will "go into more details about the server and what to expect in the first preview which will arrive tomorrow." While you wait on more juicy information, though, just head on over to the Allods official site to give the full post a read. Allods Online announces patch 3.0.4, new North American server originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Drakensang raises Atlantis update from the deeps Posted: 05 Jul 2012 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Free-to-play, Browser Drakensang Online welcomes the citizens of Atlantis to its game world today. The hack-and-slash MMO pushed its largest update ever to the live servers, and it's so big that the ocean itself could not contain it. That's what we call "hyperbole" in the biz. The Atlantis update is a wonder to behold. It includes a new continent with eight areas, 100 additional quests, and plenty of challenges for experienced players to tackle. The city itself is in ruins following its downfall by the giant snake Gorga. The update also includes a revamped world map that should help adventurers find their way. In related news, Bigpoint claims that over eight million players have registered for Drakensang Online. [Source: Bigpoint press release] Drakensang raises Atlantis update from the deeps originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| APB's Reloaded Games merges with parent company Posted: 05 Jul 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fallen Earth, MMO industry, Free-to-play, Legal, All Points Bulletin, Crime Reloaded Games, the operator of the revived APB Reloaded, has merged with parent company K2 Network. The new company retained the Reloaded Games moniker and intends it to signify a move to running more cross-platform MMOs. This is a change from K2's old practice of merely importing Korean games. The new Reloaded Games covers both the GamersFirst platform (which includes, among other games, Fallen Earth) and Reloaded Productions studio. The studio will continue to be a subsidiary of the company. Reloaded Games CEO Bjorn Book-Larsson says that this is just the first sign of a bold new initiative by the company: "We have already signed contracts with independent developers to use our platform and portal for their free-to-play game distribution. We will announce those agreements in the next couple of weeks." APB's Reloaded Games merges with parent company originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Marvel Heroes outlined in debut dev diary Posted: 05 Jul 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Video, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Marvel Heroes, Dev Diaries  Gazillion Entertainment's President and COO, David Brevik, used Marvel Heroes' first dev diary to tout some features of the upcoming free-to-play title. Marvel Heroes claims to combine Diablo-esque action with an MMO world stocked with Marvel personalities and locations. Players will be able to choose from the best characters that Marvel has to offer, which Brevik pointed out means that characters will have backstories and relationships with other characters which will make them that much more engaging. These familiar heroes will be running through well-known Marvel environments, but Brevik says that there is an element of randomness that will keep the spirit of adventure and discovery alive. The game comes with all the best parts of the Marvel universe: Multiple suits for characters allow players to choose between iconic looks, the story itself is being shaped by comic book legend Brian Michael Bendis, and motion comics illustrated by Marvel artists bring the story to life. If you're the type that needs to see to believe, there's good news: Marvel Heroes will be playable at the Marvel Booth (#2329) at Comic-Con International: San Diego. According to a Gazillion press release, fans in attendance will be able to play as one of four Marvel heroes and wade into Mutant Town to face off against Magneto. Marvel will be holding other events during the con, with plans for contests, giveaways, and a games panel where new Marvel Heroes characters and content will be revealed. To hear the big man himself, head below the drop to check out the dev diary video. Continue reading Marvel Heroes outlined in debut dev diary Marvel Heroes outlined in debut dev diary originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Transfer your SWTOR character, get an in-game pet Posted: 05 Jul 2012 12:00 PM PDT |
| Club Penguin gets $4.7 million online safety campaign Posted: 05 Jul 2012 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, Club Penguin, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Kids, Family Games for kids need to be safe for kids, and recent news about Habbo highlights the importance of this. In the aftermath of concerns raised in that community, Disney has decided to launch an expansive safety campaign for its popular Club Penguin title. The campaign will spend $4.7 million to target not only the children who who play the game but also parents through advertising on various media including websites, magazines, television, and in the game itself. Club Penguin co-founder and Executive VP of Disney Online Studios Lane Merrifield emphasizes the company's stance on the importance of online safety and that education is a key element. Merrifield states, "From the very start, our vision for Club Penguin was to create a safe place for my kids and their friends to play online. The scale may now be bigger than I could ever have imagined but that philosophy has not changed. As an industry I think we can help teach kids the lessons that they need to become responsible digital citizens." Club Penguin gets $4.7 million online safety campaign originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| New LotRO Riders of Rohan video explores Rohan, soundtrack Posted: 05 Jul 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Lord of the Rings Online, Culture, Expansions, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play Turbine has graced us with another behind-the-scenes video focused on Riders of Rohan's production process. This time around, the star is composer Chance Thomas, who says that penning Tolkien-inspired tunes is like "walking on sacred ground." Senior world designer Chris Pierson agrees, and he says that Turbine is aware of the lofty fan expectation surrounding Lord of the Rings Online's Rohan and the horse-culture Tolkien created. "Rohan is one of the strongest elements in the books, in my opinion, as far as stirring the emotions of the readers, captivating them, and creating a mental image of what people expect," Pierson explains. Thomas concurs, and he takes it a step further when discussing the audio work that's going into the expansion. "While the players are playing the game, I'm playing the player with some emotional knobs and sliders to bring their emotions into the experience," Thomas says. Check out the full video after the break. [Source: Turbine press release] Continue reading New LotRO Riders of Rohan video explores Rohan, soundtrack New LotRO Riders of Rohan video explores Rohan, soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Oh, those silly governments. Internet censorship won't withstand the onslaught of web-savvy geeks! Nevertheless, the British and Dutch governments recently 
BioWare's
