MMO Updates

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• Funcom delays The Secret World's Digging Deeper update
• Age of Wushu launch announced for Oct 18th
• RIFT's test shard hints at new soul names, future events
• RuneScape behind-the-scenes video rebuilds Al-Kharid
• MechWarrior Online invites you to River City
• World of Warcraft mobile app now offers all services for free
• The Daily Grind: How will you spend this GW2 pre-purchase headstart weekend?
• Guild Wars 2 posts online manual, talks economy and art
• Amazon adds familiar Guild Wars 2 racial armor previews to its product page
• Massively Exclusive: Previewing Mihile from MapleStory's New Dawn update
• The Summoner's Guidebook: Our favorite League of Legends bottom lane teams
• The Guild Council: Why you should diversify your guild roster
• Iran blocks Guild Wars, World of Warcraft
• LotRO's Wardens to get much-needed streamlining
• Wurm Online 1.0 update to feature multi-story buildings, new avatar customization
• Guild Wars 2 stress test today
• Chaos Theory: Understanding The Secret World's crafting, part one
• Gamescom 2012: Talking Firefall with David Williams
• Sevencore open beta begins September 6th
• Guild Wars 2: Account linking and you [Updated]

Funcom delays The Secret World's Digging Deeper update Posted: 24 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, The Secret World It's been a rough week for Funcom, as The Secret World developer has been busy dealing with post-launch layoffs and finding work for those affected. As such, the game's second monthly content patch has been delayed until September 11th. The Digging Deeper content drop was originally scheduled to go live on Tuesday, August 28th. The patch features new abilities, action and investigation missions, and a new rocket launcher weapon. Avatar customization is also getting a makeover, with tweaks available via a Brooklyn-based plastic surgeon or a London-area barber shop. "We will also continue to push out regular content like announced before," Funcom says on it's official website. "This small delay is merely due to the re-organization and assessment of processes that has been initiated. We are working hard to get back on track as soon as possible." Funcom delays The Secret World's Digging Deeper update originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Age of Wushu launch announced for Oct 18th Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play Get ready to get your kung-fu on: Age of Wushu, the English version, releases globally on October 18th, 2012. Elite pre-orders will get access to the free-to-play fantasy game a week early on the 11th. Although the initial announcement was short on details and left many folks wondering if it was referring to a beta, further clarification has said that there will not be any character wipes between the early elite and the general releases. More information is promised soon, and we'll keep you posted as it becomes available. [Thanks to SWGbesteva for the tip!] Age of Wushu launch announced for Oct 18th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

RIFT's test shard hints at new soul names, future events Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, News items, PvE, RIFT RIFT's Public Test Shard is a lovely place to take a peek into the future. After the shard's most recent update, such peeks are of a particularly informative variety. Three NPCs aboard the wreck of the ship Endeavor showcase what appear to be new Storm Legion soul names. These fine folk have the labels of Tempest, Defiler, and Tactician. A fourth NPC stands among them with the Harbinger title, which has already been confirmed as a soul for the expansion. The new names match up with hints dropped on the RIFT forums regarding the names of new soul trees. It isn't super official yet, but a new Warrior soul called Tempest, a Cleric soul called Defiler, and a Tactician soul for Rogues seem to all be safe bets. In addition to the delectable new soul teases, the PTS update brought in Tempest Rising, a new world event which introduces the awakening of Crucia. Players will evidently need to fight off Storm Legion baddies, spread the word of the Storm Legion's arrival, and otherwise make ready for the oncoming storm. RIFT's test shard hints at new soul names, future events originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: RIFT junkies

RuneScape behind-the-scenes video rebuilds Al-Kharid Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, RuneScape, Free-to-play, Browser Although players won't find bright orange construction cones littering the streets of Al-Kharid in RuneScape, developers are busy rebuilding the desert city. And lest you think "under construction" is just a euphemism for workers standing around, leaning on their shovels while enjoying some coffee, Jagex has released a behind-the-scenes video showing off the work in progress. In the video, the developers discuss how the rebuilding will bring the city to life; they want to portray a dynamic city with an undercurrent of menace. When the new and improved Al-Kharid goes live, players will find a larger population, a wider variety of character models, more cinematic elements, and a new questline to take advantage of all the changes. For a peek at some of the new character models and more, watch the video after the cut. Continue reading RuneScape behind-the-scenes video rebuilds Al-Kharid RuneScape behind-the-scenes video rebuilds Al-Kharid originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: RuneScape behind-the-scenes

MechWarrior Online invites you to River City Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, PvP, Free-to-play, MechWarrior Online, MOBA It's important to remember that for every shell-shocked city that you're rampaging through with your 40-ton 'Mech, there are families who have lost everything in the destruction. But enough about them -- more pew pew! Welcome to MechWarrior Online's River City, where the fun never stops and the human suffering is drowned out by cheers of "PWNED!" In a new video, Piranha Games shows off the urban battlefield of River City. It's a high-tech metropolis on fire, with hazy smoke and broken highways abounding. In the middle of River City is a fortified building, which is the high ground. Holding this will help players achieve their two objectives: a space port and an industrial port facility. And yes, the narrator actually uses the words "River City" and "ransom" in the same sentence. There's a strange video game crossover going on here. You can visit River City after the jump, but you probably won't want to move there. Continue reading MechWarrior Online invites you to River City MechWarrior Online invites you to River City originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Game Trailers

World of Warcraft mobile app now offers all services for free Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, News items, Dev Diaries World of Warcraft just got a little freer. Blizzard announced today that the services offered as WoW's Remote subscription service are now free to all WoW subscribers. That means that you can now chat with your guild and avail yourself of auction house services from your mobile device. All you need to start devoting even more of your waking hours to WoW is the Mobile Armory app, which is (and was) free. Along with the newly free features, you'll be able to access character profiles, realm status updates, a talent calculator, and more. Current WoW Remote subscribers will be contacted by Blizzard soon with more information regarding the end of their subscriptions. World of Warcraft mobile app now offers all services for free originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: WoW blog post Via: Joystiq

The Daily Grind: How will you spend this GW2 pre-purchase headstart weekend? Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Launches, New titles, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, The Daily Grind Despite the fact that we like to cover the bejeezus out of MMO launch days, not everyone is feeling Guild Wars 2. And that's fair -- we're all different people with different preferences. Regardless of your opinion of the ArenaNet game, Guild Wars 2 is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated MMO launches in years. We have over five years of build-up to thank for that, including plenty of hands-on time during beta weekends, stress testing, trailers, guides, etc. But we want to hear from you, the Massively readers. One of the top reasons we love you so much is that you're such a diverse crowd. Some of you love obscure indie MMOs, some of you love the next big-budget triple-A MMO, and most of you like everything in between. So how will you spend this headstart weekend for the (arguably) most anticipated MMO of the year? Have you pre-purchased, and you have a little notebook sitting by your keyboard with manic scribbles detailing the races, classes, genders, and names of each character (not that we know anyone like that...)? Will you be starting one day early, as part of the pre-order? Or will it be just another weekend where you'll be playing your favorite MMO without a worry in the world about anything containing the initials G and W? Speak up and let your voices be heard! 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 will you spend this GW2 pre-purchase headstart weekend? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Guild Wars 2 posts online manual, talks economy and art Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Economy, Guild Wars 2 One of the unsung heroes of MMOs is the economist -- the guy or gal in charge of making sure that supply and demand doesn't get all wonky. Whether you think about in-game economy or not, its function impacts everyone. For ArenaNet, the man in charge of keeping Guild Wars 2's money ship float is John Smith, and he's created an interesting infographic showing the state of the economy from the beta process. From the chart, Smith deduces many interesting trends that may or may not play out in the live game. The largest sources of income during the beta were rewards, followed by dynamic events and tasks, while the most frequently traded items were crafting materials. He notes that an abnormal percentage of players gravitated to jewelcrafting as a profession, although he speculates that this was because of the temporary nature of the beta. Smith even compares the rate of gems to gold to Facebook's recent IPO and finds a similar pattern therein. Keeping up with the information reveals, ArenaNet has released the online manual for Guild Wars 2 that covers everything from "getting started" to "competitive play." If the economy and manual don't interest you, perhaps art does. MSNBC interviewed Art Director Daniel Dociu about the look of Guild Wars 2, and you can watch it right here after the break. Continue reading Guild Wars 2 posts online manual, talks economy and art Guild Wars 2 posts online manual, talks economy and art originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: MSNBC, Beta Economy infographic, GW2 Manual

Amazon adds familiar Guild Wars 2 racial armor previews to its product page Posted: 23 Aug 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Culture, News items, Guild Wars 2, Massively Meta If you haven't already grabbed a copy of Guild Wars 2, time is running out, and you may very well want to head over to Amazon to purchase it. And what will you find there? Why, several familiar videos previewing racial armors for all five of the game's races. You know, the same videos that you saw here a few days ago from the talented Richie Procopio, which walk through the looks of all the armors and how to obtain the appearances early. Before you ask, there are no underhanded shenanigans at work here; Amazon asked our permission to use Richie's spectacular videos to help spread awareness about the game. If you're looking forward to the game, it's as good a reason as any to look at the videos once again, and either way we'd like to congratulate Richie on getting some high-level awareness. (We're just a wee bit proud at the moment.) Amazon adds familiar Guild Wars 2 racial armor previews to its product page originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: GW2 Amazon page

Massively Exclusive: Previewing Mihile from MapleStory's New Dawn update Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, MapleStory, Classes, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play It's going to be a brand-new day for MapleStory when the New Dawn update goes live in early September. If you can't wait that long, we've got a little treat for you: a video preview of Mihile, who previously served as an NPC and can be played in the update. Players will be able to explore Mihile and find out how he became the Knight of Light -- and investigate his abilities in the process. Mihile uses a one-handed sword and a special shield known as the Soul Shield. Unlike other shields, this one improves as Mihile does, earning an upgrade with each advancement and leveling up as it gains experience. That gives Mihile a defensive bulwark from the start of his career all the way to the apex. Check out the preview past the cut, and keep your eyes peeled for more information before the update in early September. Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Previewing Mihile from MapleStory's New Dawn update Massively Exclusive: Previewing Mihile from MapleStory's New Dawn update originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Summoner's Guidebook: Our favorite League of Legends bottom lane teams Posted: 23 Aug 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Free-to-play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook Although building a team composition in League of Legends is all about synergy, the bottom lane in Summoner's Rift is the most critical. In Dominion, players may split up as the needs demand, and the other characters in Summoner's Rift spend around 15 minutes of each game on their own against a lone enemy. The bottom lane has two characters that are essentially joined at the hip for most of the game. While the support will eventually roam free and the carry may engage in some solo pushing or farming, those two characters spend much of the game together. It makes sense then that these two characters should mesh well. Here's a list of my favorite teams. If you're stumped on whom to pick for carry or support, you should try some of these out. Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Our favorite League of Legends bottom lane teams The Summoner's Guidebook: Our favorite League of Legends bottom lane teams originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Guild Council: Why you should diversify your guild roster Posted: 23 Aug 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous More than once in this column, I've tried to hammer home the point that it's important to recruit players who match up well with your guild. So much guild drama spawns from a situation in which one player just doesn't fit in with the culture of the guild. But you don't want to lead a bunch of sheep, either, and while there are certain traits that you want to see match up (like playtimes, game style in general, and chat preference), it's worth it to carry a roster with some diversity. In the past, we've looked at a few good player types to seek out, but in this week's Guild Counsel, I'd like to look more closely at some of the more subtle personalities that are good to have on board. Continue reading The Guild Council: Why you should diversify your guild roster The Guild Council: Why you should diversify your guild roster originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Iran blocks Guild Wars, World of Warcraft Posted: 23 Aug 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Dofus, Entropia Universe, Guild Wars, MMO industry, Second Life, RuneScape, Guild Wars 2, Legal, Miscellaneous Reports are coming in that Iran is moving to block access to several MMOs, including World of Warcraft and Guild Wars. This comes following a conference by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance earlier this month. At the conference, the Islamic Revolution Game Designers Community was formed and decided to ban games that promote superstition, mythology, violence, and revealing clothing. Following the decision, the government started cracking down on various services and MMOs, such as Battle.net's library and ArenaNet's Guild Wars series. Other games targeted include RuneScape, Second Life, Dofus, Evony, and Entropia Universe. It's unclear to what extent the government is attempting to enforce these bans, and Iranian players are looking into workaround solutions to access their MMOs. It's interesting to note that Blizzard does not authorize downloads of its products or services in Iran. Iran blocks Guild Wars, World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: The Verge, Inc Gamers

LotRO's Wardens to get much-needed streamlining Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Expansions, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries Just in case any of you Wardens in Lord of the Rings Online have actually got a handle on the class after the previous 1,437 iterations, Turbine's throwing a few more monkeys in the gambits for you. The studio posted the changes that Wardens will be seeing with this October's Riders of Rohan and admits that the class needed more streamlining. With the expansion, Wardens will get a pair of new gambits and an improved root at high levels as well as a couple of travel skills. There are plenty of other changes and quality of life improvements that are probably gobbledygook to anyone other than practiced Wardens. Long story short, the team's hoping to clarify several skills, condense others, and create more synergy between the buffs. LotRO's Wardens to get much-needed streamlining originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Warden dev diary

Wurm Online 1.0 update to feature multi-story buildings, new avatar customization Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, Wurm Online, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Sandbox Wurm Online may have been in development for nearly a decade, but December 6th of this year marks the project's first official deadline. Version 1.0 of the browser-based sandbox title is coming, and it boasts multi-story buildings and new character models with customizable facial features (not to mention visible armor and proper bone structure). Wurm creator Rolf Jansson has just posted a new dev blog with all the details on the new milestone. "The game will still be far from finished but it will have a nice (huge) set of features which all come together in a very strong way," he says. Wurm is a skill-based persistent world that's both free of instancing and free-to-play. Jansson describes it as a "player-driven economy sandbox MMO providing a strong endgame." Wurm Online 1.0 update to feature multi-story buildings, new avatar customization originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: 1.0 Announcement

Guild Wars 2 stress test today Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-play It's a day that ends with a Y, which means it must be time for another Guild Wars 2 stress test. OK, we're half kidding; it only seems like there have been 65,000 stress tests over the past few weeks. In any event, the latest round kicks off today at 4:00 p.m. EDT. It lasts for only an hour, though, so if you absolutely, positively cannot wait until launch (or early release) to log into Tyria, enjoy. Guild Wars 2 stress test today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Facebook

Chaos Theory: Understanding The Secret World's crafting, part one Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvE, Opinion, The Secret World, Guides, Crafting, Chaos Theory The Secret World's crafting system, much like the rest of the game, is deeper and more complex than it first appears. On the surface, it's a matter of arranging stacks of materials into Minecraft-like visual patterns and pushing your assemble button. Underneath that, though, there's an elaborate game-within-the-game that's one of the more enjoyable MMO tradeskill systems I've experienced to date. Is it strictly necessary? Well, no. The Secret World is not a pure sandbox, so players can simply use drops and auctioned items to equip their characters. Rune-, glyph-, signet-, and gear-crafting offers an absurd amount of customization, though, and those of you who want full control over your decks and your play experience will want to have a look through my two-part crafting guide. Continue reading Chaos Theory: Understanding The Secret World's crafting, part one Chaos Theory: Understanding The Secret World's crafting, part one originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Gamescom 2012: Talking Firefall with David Williams Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Classes, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, Interviews, Patches, Previews, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage Firefall has undergone quite a few changes over time just like most betas. As the size of the testing base slowly grows to massive proportions, more and more input fuels the ideas-machine at Red 5 Studios as it improves an already-impressive game. The immense booth at this year's Gamescom was testament to the amount of ambition the developers have for this free-to-play MMOTPS, and the sheer number of convention-goers in, up, and around the booth revealed no shortage of interest in the game. We were led into a small, air-conditioned room in the undercrofts of this behemoth of a booth so that we could have an intimate chat with Firefall's Lead Class Designer, David Williams, away from the noise of the show floor crowd. Continue reading Gamescom 2012: Talking Firefall with David Williams Gamescom 2012: Talking Firefall with David Williams originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sevencore open beta begins September 6th Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Screenshots, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play With closed beta all wrapped up, the free-to-play sci-fi/fantasy mix MMORPG Sevencore is ready to take the next step. And that next step allows everyone the chance to experience the upcoming game; gPotato announced that open beta will begin just two weeks from today on September 6th. Once this beta starts, players will get to test out more mounts, new regions, and higher levels. For a glimpse of Sevencore, take a look at a few new screenshots below, and be sure to check out Massively's hands-on tour of the world. [Source: gPotato press release] Gallery: Sevencore Sevencore open beta begins September 6th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Guild Wars 2: Account linking and you [Updated] Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Launches, Guild Wars 2, Guides You are surely aware that Guild Wars 2 is nearing its headstart and launch dates. You might also know that players of both Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 have a bit of incentive to link their accounts. The Massively team has been getting a fair few questions about the ins and outs of account linking, so this here is a bit of a knowledge dump that'll hopefully sort out some problems. Continue reading Guild Wars 2: Account linking and you [Updated] Guild Wars 2: Account linking and you [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Guild Wars 2 support

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General gaming

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• The Essential 100, No. 56: Gears of War
• The Essential 100, No. 57: EverQuest
• The Essential 100, No. 58: Farmville
• The Essential 100, No. 59: Warcraft
• The Essential 100, No. 60: Bejeweled

The Essential 100, No. 56: Gears of War Posted: 23 Aug 2012 05:01 PM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet 1UP COVER STORY 1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF AUGUST 20 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART TWO The Essential 100, No, 56: Gears of War Cover Story: Not about who does it first, but who does it best. I f I asked for a show of hands from those of you who played through the original Street Fighter in arcades back in 1987, I'd be left with a whole lot of pockets stuffed with a whole lot of hands. Now if I asked the same question about Street Fighter II, I imagine there's not a single one of you who wouldn't have their hands raised high in the air. Among many other things, a reason for this is because it's not all about who does something first, but rather who does it best. It's precisely this reason why Gears of War for the Xbox 360 is so essential -- despite borrowing countless elements from previous titles, Epic's third-person shooter provided a wildly polished experience and spawned one of the most powerful franchises of this generation. The timing of the thing honestly couldn't have been better -- it really was the first game that validated my day-one purchase of an Xbox 360. As much as I loved Call of Duty 2 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, those were games that could be experienced in even higher quality on the PC. And while Dead Rising presented some unique ideas and situations, it didn't have the lasting power to stay in my disc drive for more than a week. But suddenly, just shy of a year after the 360 launched, Epic unleashed what is arguably their masterpiece onto the public. By the time you chainsawed straight through your first Locust, it became quite clear that the seventh generation of consoles was upon us.

The Essential 100, No. 57: EverQuest Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:22 PM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet 1UP COVER STORY 1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF AUGUST 20 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART TWO The Essential 100, No. 57: EverQuest Cover Story: When MMOs met the mainstream. P ersistent online RPGs had already established themselves by the late 90s. PC gamers had explored text-based multi-user dungeons with one another since the days of the BBS, Looking at doors and debating whether or not to Open them. Meridian 59 staked its claim as the first 3D MMO in 1996, a sign of new experiences to come with increasingly powerful hardware and a growing internet. Ultima Online came out the following year, a playground of creative player-versus-player madness that popularized the genre. Then EverQuest came along in 1999. It resonated in a tremendous, unexpected way, reaching far beyond the assumed audience which had made Ultima Online a success. Players got hooked, then shared their experiences with friends who didn't necessarily play PC games. The converted became guildmates, in turn becoming recruiters when they gabbed with co-workers. Soon the game entered pop culture awareness. Well-meaning family members across the world asked relatives if they played the EverQuest tape on their Nintendos.

The Essential 100, No. 58: Farmville Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:16 PM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet 1UP COVER STORY 1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF AUGUST 20 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART TWO The Essential 100, No. 58: Farmville Cover Story: The most important game of the past decade (whether you like it or not). F armville used to be the name of a game. These days, it's a curse, a joke, an insult, an annoyance, an obsession. It's social media's answer to Jehovah's Witnesses. Unless you want to be forever branded as a pariah by our gaming clique, Farmville is not a game you admit to playing. But, what is Farmville exactly? Ostensibly, it's a farming simulation that is not entirely dissimilar from games like Harvest Moon. Here, you'll raise livestock, plow fields, grow crops and do all those things we've come to associate with agriculture and games associated with agricultural pursuits. What sets it apart from its peers is what many have diplomatically labeled as the 'social aspect'.

The Essential 100, No. 59: Warcraft Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:39 AM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet 1UP COVER STORY 1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF AUGUST 20 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART TWO The Essential 100, No. 59: Warcraft Cover Story: The birth of one of gaming's most successful franchises. W hen the first game of what would arguably become gaming's most successful franchise was first released, hardly anyone noticed. It took months for many publications to even review Warcraft: Orcs & Humans -- the very first real-time strategy game from then-fledgling Blizzard Entertainment. Blizzard itself was a relative newcomer to the PC gaming scene when it set to work on Warcraft in 1994. Under the name Silicon & Synapse, they had mainly been known for console games like Rock 'n Roll Racing and Lost Vikings. They were as yet an unknown quantity among PC gaming enthusiasts--seemingly not worth paying attention to. That, of course, changed in a hurry. Within the space of a year, Blizzard was able to go from being virtually unknown to being one of the kings of real-time strategy; and from there, one of gaming's premier studios. As a game, Warcraft is kind of the raw form of what Blizzard would eventually become. The angry quotes that result from selecting a unit too many times ("Stop poking me!") are there, as are many of the familiar units that would appear in subsequent installments. But there are key differences as well, like the fact that buildings have to be built next to roads (a feature that was axed by the time of Warcraft II). Being Blizzard's first real-time strategy game, of course, it's a long way from the polished experience offered by StarCraft, or even Warcraft II. Selectable groups are limited to a mere four characters, for instance, making micro-management paramount. The A.I. is also spectacularly stupid, and can be lead on a merry chase around the map by one unit while the rest of the army attacks. It's definitely pretty rough, especially in comparison to its immediate sequel. But it definitely set down the blueprint for what was to come.

The Essential 100, No. 60: Bejeweled Posted: 23 Aug 2012 10:40 AM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet 1UP COVER STORY 1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF AUGUST 20 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART TWO The Essential 100, No. 60: Bejeweled Cover Story: How PopCap's sensation made gaming accessible to an entirely new demographic. J ust where did PopCap draw their main inspiration for Bejeweled? The tile-matching games of the 1980s like Shariki, Tetris, or Puzznic could have planted the seed. What we do know for sure is that the game first appeared in 2000 as a simple browser-based tile-matcher made by three young guys in a small Seattle apartment. This ambitious triumvirate tossed their creation onto the web under the decidedly un-catchy name, Diamond Mine. Though fairly sure of the game's entertainment value at the time, they couldn't have predicted the entertainment behemoth it would soon become. Within a year, the game took off with online audiences and had its name changed to the much snazzier Bejeweled. Alright, for the few gamers out there who haven't played Bejeweled, what's wrong with you? Er... I mean, if somehow you've spent the last decade with your hands tied behind your back or living on an oil rig, Bejeweled only takes a few sentences to explain. On a playing field filled with different-colored gems, two adjacent ones are swapped in order to form sequences of three. (Get it? Match-three.) When you match three or more gems, they explode, leaving gaps that allow other gems to cascade down in colorful falls of sparkly wonderment. Bejeweled also includes combos and powerups and timers as well, but the complexity stops there. It's fairly amazing when you think about it -- that such an uncomplicated idea could be so much fun and serve as keystone to a multimillion dollar company.

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MMORPG News

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• Guild Wars 2: Snapshot of a Virtual Economy
• Guild Wars 2: Final Thoughts Before Launch
• Guild Wars 2: One Hour Stress Test TODAY
• Wizardry Online: Bringing Back the Classic
• Defiance: First Syfy Commercial Aired
• RaiderZ: Broken Mast Zone Trailer

Guild Wars 2: Snapshot of a Virtual Economy Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:29 AM PDT The Guild Wars 2 blog has been literally updated with a snapshot of how the virtual economy will shape up when the game goes live. Economist John Smith had the opportunity to study the GW2 economy and he's got a terrific image to show off his findings.

Guild Wars 2: Final Thoughts Before Launch Posted: 23 Aug 2012 03:13 PM PDT Guild Wars 2 is now less than 24 hours until the head start program begins and just a few days before its worldwide release. So many hopes hang on its success. Before all the craziness begins, we want to offer our thoughts about the game. See what you think and then add your ideas to the comments.

Guild Wars 2: One Hour Stress Test TODAY Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:34 PM PDT The Guild Wars 2 Twitter has been updated with the news that there will be a one hour stress test in about 90 minutes from the time of this writing. The stress test is open to anyone who pre-purchased Guild Wars 2.

Wizardry Online: Bringing Back the Classic Posted: 23 Aug 2012 10:25 AM PDT During Gamescom, we took advantage of the opportunity to catch up with Sony Online Entertainment and Gamepot to check out what's new with Wizardry Online. See what we discovered in our exclusive preview!

Defiance: First Syfy Commercial Aired Posted: 23 Aug 2012 09:45 AM PDT Trion Worlds and the Syfy Channel have released the first commercial for their collaborative effort on Defiance, a game and television show with ties to one another. It's amazing. Check it out!

RaiderZ: Broken Mast Zone Trailer Posted: 23 Aug 2012 09:41 AM PDT Perfect World Entertainment and the RaiderZ team have started releasing a new series of videos to shine the spotlight on the zones in the game. The first in the series shows off Broken Mast, the starting zone for all newcomers to the game. See what you think!

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