MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Leaderboard: Battle of the fall expansions

Posted: 13 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT

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Leaderboard Battle of the fall expansions
Thought expansions were a thing of the past for MMOs? Don't tell 2012, which has three major releases lined up this fall!

First up is Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan, which sends players into the titular Rohan region for the first time. Not only will there be epic confrontations with Saruman and Sauron's forces on the plains, but characters will be able to fight from horseback for the first time with the new mounted combat system.

Next is World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, Blizzard's fourth expansion for its hit MMO. There's a grab bag of goodies in this release, including a new race, additional continent, pet battle system, talent revamp, and more.

Finally, RIFT: Storm Legion is coming out at an unknown point this fall. Trion's first expansion promises four new souls, two huge continents, player housing, and expanded game systems.

So as you look at the big board (just pretend you have a big board -- it makes your life more exciting), which of these three looks the most promising? Which wins in potential and promise, at least, compared to the other two? Vote after the jump!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Battle of the fall expansions

MassivelyLeaderboard: Battle of the fall expansions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Latest Lord of the Rings Online dev diary explores creating the characters of Rohan

    Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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    Latest Lord of the Rings Online dev diary explores creating the characters of Rohan
    Adding to the stampede of developer diaries focusing on Lord of the Ring Online's upcoming expansion Riders of Rohan, Turbine has released the fourth episode of Bringing Rohan to Life entitled "Creating the Character." In this video, Executive producer Kate Paiz talks about how working with the live action teaser gave a deeper insight into feelings and the moment-to-moment lives of the characters in Rohan.

    Utilizing these insights, Director Mitch Cohen states, "We're creating a three-dimensional world through their performances." But Tolkien purists need not worry that the expansion is based heavily on that short clip made just for the game; Todd Demelle, Online Art Director, notes that they relied heavily on Tolkien's text to get the feel of Rohan. He highlighted the importance of authenticity, stating, "[the team was] focusing a lot on authenticity, making sure that the materials and the construction and the various things that make up the Rohan culture are as true as authentic as we can make them."

    The video also treats viewers to some of the vistas in-game. Check it out after the break.

    [Source: Turbine press release]

    Continue reading Latest Lord of the Rings Online dev diary explores creating the characters of Rohan

    MassivelyLatest Lord of the Rings Online dev diary explores creating the characters of Rohan originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Captain's Log: Star Trek Online in Las Vegas

      Posted: 13 Aug 2012 09:00 AM PDT

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      STO Las Vegas Header
      This weekend, Massively, along with Trek Radio, hosted the formal Star Trek Online Discussion with the Devs panel at the official Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. And if I judge by the personal feedback received and the unanticipated (yet much appreciated) turn-out from players who attended the panel, all seems to have been very well received. Join me past the jump to learn more about what the STO developers said in response to questions posed by Massively and those in attendance at the convention and on the game's forums.

      Continue reading Captain's Log: Star Trek Online in Las Vegas

      MassivelyCaptain's Log: Star Trek Online in Las Vegas originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Fan project turns Just Cause 2 into a massively multiplayer title

        Posted: 13 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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        Fan project turns Just Cause 2 into a massively multiplayer title
        Forget your piddly multiplayer matches that can be counted on two hands -- fans are taking the open-world adventure game Just Cause 2 and adding a little "massively" into it. The fan mod, Just Cause 2 Multiplayer, promises over a thousand people duking it out on the same large map.

        The mod was in development two years ago when it shut down due to "many obstacles," according to the devs. The team recently revived the project and has put it through several public beta tests.

        "Over the coming months, our aim is to polish the current build to a state that can be released to the public," developer Woet writes.

        Just Cause 2 Multiplayer features both ground and vehicular combat, grappling hooks, and cartoonish action.

        MassivelyFan project turns Just Cause 2 into a massively multiplayer title originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        MV Guide: August 13 - 19, 2012

        Posted: 13 Aug 2012 07:00 AM PDT

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        MV Guide August 13  19, 2012
        MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV.

        Every week, the Massively Stream Team logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises each week, so you'll find a variety of titles to watch. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, or simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

        Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule, and let us know if there's a specific game you'd like to see streamed next week!

        Continue reading MV Guide: August 13 - 19, 2012

        MassivelyMV Guide: August 13 - 19, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Daily Grind: Do MMO sunsets kill your investment in other MMOs?

          Posted: 13 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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          Zentia
          When Star Wars Galaxies' sunset was announced not much more than a year ago, it made me more than sad -- it made me distrustful. I knew that games had shut down before, but they were usually unlucky or unprofitable. In spite of the NGE, SWG maintained a healthy population for a second-gen MMO, and SOE was supporting it better than some studios support their current-gen games, so I fooled myself into thinking it'd be around forever like the rest of SOE's titles. And when I realized it wouldn't, my investment in other games fell off sharply. Why pour years into a world that can be ended arbitrarily before its time?

          Zentia's impending closure brought that distrust to the surface again. Western audiences have a hard enough time adopting "foreign" games with funky localization and pay-to-win cash shops, so losing one of the best imports inspires no faith that other games will survive long enough to make an investment of time (and money) worth it.

          What about you? Do MMO sunsets kill your desire to invest in other MMOs?

          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!

          MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do MMO sunsets kill your investment in other MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            MMO Week in Review: Civility

            Posted: 12 Aug 2012 06:00 PM PDT

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            TERA
            At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post.

            It looks like we're going to have to find another massive gaming industry lawsuit to scratch our heads over, folks: The En Masse vs. NCsoft civil case is finally over, having been settled out of court. Unfortunately, both companies have moved on to new and different struggles. TERA publisher En Masse announced a round of company layoffs, while NCsoft posted a second-quarter earnings loss.

            The remainder of this week's top MMO stories are tucked behind the break.

            Continue reading MMO Week in Review: Civility

            MassivelyMMO Week in Review: Civility originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              EVE Evolved: A game of cat and mouse

              Posted: 12 Aug 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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              EVE Evolved title image
              Outside of the annual Alliance Tournament, it's rare to find a fair fight in EVE Online with both sides being evenly matched in numbers or odds of success. On the actual battlefields of EVE, lone pilots and fleets alike hunt for fights they can win and tend to shy away from fights that aren't stacked in their favour. A bold few will intentionally engage when they're outmatched or outgunned in the hopes of getting a lucky and impressive-looking kill, but most of the time, that kind of fight is the result of a poor judgment call or misreading the situation.

              Something new EVE players tend to have trouble accepting is that the outcome of a fight is often decided before the guns even start firing. EVE PvP is a massive game of tactics in which the goal is to catch weaker enemies at a disadvantage, so the fight could already be lost the moment you're caught by a superior foe. A lot of PvP is psychological; you trick enemies into thinking they have the upper hand, and you hide your true intentions and abilities until it's too late. Fleets of all sizes roam around EVE appraising the smaller fish while avoiding the sharks, and I wouldn't trade that cat-and-mouse gameplay for any level of pre-arranged fairness.

              But what motivates people to fight or flee, and how can we win the psychological battle to gain an upper hand? In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at three tricks you can use to catch targets off-guard.

              Continue reading EVE Evolved: A game of cat and mouse

              MassivelyEVE Evolved: A game of cat and mouse originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                One Shots: Set yourself free

                Posted: 12 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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                One Shots - Vanguard
                This week's One Shots honors Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, which quietly went free-to-play a few days early. Massively reader John sent in our featured image with this note:
                I'm sure that many of your pictures will be of Vanguard, but here's an awesome one overlooking the Qalian sunset. It captures the beauty of a massive, open world that's devoid of linear levelling or closed instances. Just looking at this picture reminds me of the possibilities. Do I gather a group for a trip to the Coterie, perched upon a distant mountain? Do I sail down endless rivers or fly above vast plains? The choice is mine. Vanguard's motto is "Set yourself free," and this picture proves it.
                Do you go beyond the break to drool over John's screenshot and a few others? That choice is also yours!

                Continue reading One Shots: Set yourself free

                MassivelyOne Shots: Set yourself free originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Student faces 15 years in prison over RuneScape robbery at gunpoint

                  Posted: 12 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT

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                  Student faces 15 years in prison over RuneScape robbery at gunpoint
                  What would you do if someone put a gun to your head and demanded that you hand over all your RuneScape gold? Fordham University students David Emani and Jonathan Dokler found out first hand when they were robbed of 4.7 billion RuneScape coins at gunpoint. Fellow student Humza Bajwa first attempted to buy the coins from the pair with an envelope full of counterfeit money. When confronted about the fake cash, Bajwa then put an air pistol that resembled a real firearm to Emani's head and ordered him to phone Dokler and tell him to transfer the coins.

                  Though the gun wasn't a real firearm and only virtual property was stolen, Bajwa was later arrested by local police and charged with second-degree robbery and grand larceny. RuneScape developer Jagex doesn't condone the sale of coins for cash, but sales aren't illegal and the stolen coins could fetch around $3,300 US on the black market. In January, the Dutch Supreme Court ruled that a similar theft of virtual property in RuneScape at knifepoint did constitute theft as the items required an investment of time and energy to acquire. If convicted, Bajwa faces a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years for his crimes.

                  MassivelyStudent faces 15 years in prison over RuneScape robbery at gunpoint originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Rise and Shiny revisit: Allods Online

                  Posted: 12 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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                  Allods Online screenshot
                  Before I get into the details of my week revisiting Allods Online, the "controversial" MMO published by gPotato, I'd like to say that I am fully aware of its less-than-stellar launch. I'd go so far to say that I have heard a lifetime's worth of theories and discussions over the overpriced cash shop and odd death mechanic. I saw the players who worshipped the game during the beta and later screamed about the fact that someone had to pay for the game. I have my own theories, mainly one that says many Western MMO players' first experience with a free-to-play MMO was Allods Online. These players were not used to cash shops and scoffed at for paying something that was previously free in beta.

                  The cash-shop prices were too high. We know this. The developers and publishers both talked about it and continue to do so when asked. The death mechanic was over the top, and players could literally spend thousands of dollars on the game. This is all known; I have heard about it from the publishers' mouths myself. So here we are. The game has been tweaked and patched. The prices were adjusted; the silliest of the death mechanics have been removed. Players can still spend thousands on the game, but those same players can spend thousands in any number of MMOs.

                  Now that I have gotten that out of the way, allow me to tell you what I thought about the gameplay during my revisitation.

                  Continue reading Rise and Shiny revisit: Allods Online

                  MassivelyRise and Shiny revisit: Allods Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

                    Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


                    Assassin’s Creed III PC Release Date Pushed Back To November 20th

                    Posted: 13 Aug 2012 01:00 AM PDT

                    Okay so pushed back might be a bit of an exaggeration since it was never formally announced, however up until now we were told the PC release date would match those of the Xbox 360 and PS3. This has never been true in the past, but we played along. Turns out if you were one [...]

                    MMORPG News

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                    Rift: MMOFTW - Ep 12 - ZOMG Blizzard Hacked and Rift Soul Revealed

                    Posted: 13 Aug 2012 07:21 AM PDT

                    MMOFTW - Ep 12 - ZOMG Blizzard Hacked and Rift Soul Revealed

                    This week's episode of MMOFTW recaps the Blizzard account hacking, Day Z's standalone game announcement, TERA layoffs and law suit, and the reveal of Rift's new Mage Soul: The Harbinger. Plus we talk about the long-lost isometric perspective in RPGs. Check it out!

                    General: Too Many Games

                    Posted: 11 Aug 2012 09:14 PM PDT

                    Too Many Games

                    Too many games. Yes, it's the bane of many of today's gamers. In her latest column, Pokket takes a look at the games she plays and laments that, just maybe, there are too many good ones to attend to. See what you think and then leave a comment or two.

                    DUST 514: CCP Secures $20M in New Funding

                    Posted: 12 Aug 2012 07:45 AM PDT

                    CCP Secures $20M in New Funding

                    TechCrunch is reporting that CCP has secured $20 million in new funding. According to reports from CCP, the new money will be used in part to promote DUST 514 as it nears launch.

                    Ragnarok Online: War of Emperium Launches

                    Posted: 12 Aug 2012 07:41 AM PDT

                    War of Emperium Launches

                    Gravity Interactive has announced that the massive update to Ragnarok Online, War of Emperium, has officially launched. War of Emperium brings several events online for players.

                    Order & Chaos Online: Customers Spoke, Developers Listened

                    Posted: 12 Aug 2012 07:36 AM PDT

                    Customers Spoke, Developers Listened

                    Gameloft has taken serious note of players' wishes for mobile MMO, Order & Chaos Online. Gameloft recently announced that a new update is in the works that will bring several brand new features online as well as the enhancement of existing ones.

                    General: Novus AEterno to Debut at GamesCom

                    Posted: 12 Aug 2012 07:32 AM PDT

                    Novus AEterno to Debut at GamesCom

                    Taitale Studios has announced that developers will be attending this week's Gamescom in Cologne, Germany. Along with developer attendance, players will get a chance for a firsthand look at Novus AEterno, the company's upcoming MMORTS.

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                    Classic Gaming Expo Offers a Decidedly Retro Take on Competitive Gaming

                    Posted: 12 Aug 2012 10:39 AM PDT

                    The first thing you'll notice upon wandering into the main hall of the Classic Gaming Expo? A series of TVs, set up with reproductions of both the 1990 Nintendo World Championships NES cart, as well as the lesser-known 1991 Nintendo Campus Challenge -- boy, college life seemed a whole lot tamer 20 years ago, didn't it? If you don't know about the former, the 1989 movie The Wizard -- which we'll be talking about on this week's Retronauts -- planted the idea in the brains of receptive children shortly before Nintendo rolled out their event nationwide (strangely enough, these "world" championships didn't stray outside of the continental United States). The Classic Gaming Expo features their own take on this fabled event, though it involves two different competitive carts, and the stakes are much lower -- no trip to Universal Studios (gasp!) for the winner of this one. Sorry, but you'll have to visit the smoldering ruins of the Back to the Future ride on your own dime.

                    When Nintendo originally rolled out their nationwide tour, the world was a much smaller place -- for me, anyway. Being eight years old, anything greater than a trip to my friend's house a few blocks away seemed to be the stuff of dreams, so, needless to say, I didn't make it to the closest destination, which would have been Cleveland. So, in a sense, getting to sit down and play these carts for the sake of an actual competition finally gave me some petty sense of closure, even if I could have downloaded the ROMs for myself ages ago. The strange thing is, for 1990, the selection of games available feels just a bit dated, though I imagine the powers that be chose older games because they assumed a wider audience would be more familiar with them; five years after the release of Super Mario Bros. and most kids had a better knowledge of its 32 levels than they did of American History or their extended family (I know I did).

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