MMO Family: First Impressions of Pora Ora Posted: 19 Sep 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Browser, Hands-on, Massively Hands-on, First Impressions, Kids, MMO Family, Family, Miscellaneous I'm always on the hunt for MMOs that are educational because I think it's a genre with enormous potential that is still largely untapped. At the same time, the skeptic in me always becomes wary of any MMO that calls itself "educational" because it usually turns out that it's mostly "game" and very little learning goes on. So I was cautiously curious to try out Pora Ora, an educational MMO that's aimed at kids ages 5 to 13. As it turns out, the game embraces learning and has several features that make it a viable educational game not only at home but also in the classroom. This week's MMO Family is a first impressions look at Pora Ora. Continue reading MMO Family: First Impressions of Pora Ora MMO Family: First Impressions of Pora Ora originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Vanguard scrapping old forums, starting fresh Posted: 19 Sep 2012 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Vanguard, Free-to-play Last month, Vanguard upgraded and changed its official website. However, the Vanguard team continued searching for a remedy for the issues that have been plaguing the official forums over the past couple of years. The solution has been found in the same forums that Sony Online Entertainment has been using and testing with the PlanetSide 2 beta community. Vanguard will be switching to these new forums in the next week or two. However, while the forums are moving, nothing from the current forums will be making the trip; the new forums will be starting off fresh. Folks who want to keep any must-have posts, guides, or other favorite items need to personally copy and save them. As a final heads-up, SOE will give a 24-hour notice before the switch. Vanguard scrapping old forums, starting fresh originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Massively Exclusive: Rusty Hearts' big honking patch Posted: 19 Sep 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Video, Patches, Free-to-play, Dungeons Rusty Hearts is growing in leaps and bounds lately, and the team has a wonderful present for players: a big honking patch full of content additions to the game. This week's update increases the level cap to 50, adds five new dungeons, and greatly expands Rusty Hearts' available weapons and skills. The new dungeons for exploration are the Aquarium, Altar Entrance, Veranda, King's Grave, and Catacomb. Perfect World Senior Product Manager Mark Hill hopes this keeps everyone busy, even if just for a while: "This is definitely the one of the most exciting updates for Rusty Hearts and it's the perfect addition to the Rusty Hearts: Reborn expansion released last month. Our community is always hungry for more content, and we're happy to oblige!" Massively has an exclusive look at this update, including over a dozen screenshots and a nifty trailer after the jump! Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Rusty Hearts' big honking patch Massively Exclusive: Rusty Hearts' big honking patch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: A personal tribute to Paragon Studios Posted: 19 Sep 2012 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter When I started my career at Massively, I wasn't hired to be the City of Heroes guy. I wasn't hired to be the anything guy, although I quickly earned a reputation. It was a few months after I got hired that I got the opportunity to start doing a pair of weekly columns, one on City of Heroes and one about the online Final Fantasy installments. This was due to the fact that my affection for City of Heroes was well-known on staff, and I was already knee-deep in the game, so... It wasn't quite three years ago, but it was close enough. And I've said many times that my professional career has been tied in directly with City of Heroes because of that. As I've grown as a writer and a journalist, I've been working alongside City of Heroes. So today I'm not going to talk as much about the game itself. I'm going to talk about the people of Paragon Studios, some of whom I had the good fortune to interact with over the years and all of whom seem to be absolutely astonishing human beings. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: A personal tribute to Paragon Studios A Mild-Mannered Reporter: A personal tribute to Paragon Studios originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Neverwinter's Guardian Fighter on display Posted: 19 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Trailers, Video, Classes, Neverwinter Hankering for your 20-sided dice and some good old-fashioned dungeon crawling? Get with the times: It's 2012, and we're on the verge of an action-packed D&D MMO called Neverwinter! Cryptic's hard at work on this upcoming title, and for those mulling over their future choice of class, the team is currently trying to sell you on the Guardian Fighter. The Guardian Fighter is a melee tank that does much what you'd expect. It absorbs a lot of damage while dishing out some of the pain in return. The team's released a video to show off some of the class' more essential skills, including Cleave, Tide of Iron (a shield slam), Guarding, Lunging Strike, and Terrifying Impact. Check out the video after the jump and let us know if you'll be playing this class at launch! [Thanks to Paul for the tip!] Continue reading Neverwinter's Guardian Fighter on display Neverwinter's Guardian Fighter on display originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TERA's Chris Hager explains server merges and game health Posted: 19 Sep 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Events, in-game, Interviews, MMO industry, Patches, Massively Interviews, TERA Like a lot of MMOs released in recent years, TERA launched with a bang and then dwindled, forcing En Masse to first lay off staff back in August and then lay off servers in preparation for yesterday's realm merges. And yet the studio seems determined to keep the game alive in the West, promising content updates and small-group, impromptu flash events run by event staff, the likes of which MMO players rarely see outside of old-school games like Ultima Online. Curious about what all these news bytes portend for the game's future, we sat down with En Masse Entertainment Producer Chris Hager to discuss the reasoning behind the server merges, the effect of the layoffs on the game, and whether TERA might just be the next title to go free-to-play. Continue reading TERA's Chris Hager explains server merges and game health TERA's Chris Hager explains server merges and game health originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Daily Grind: Do you like mobs telegraphing their moves? Posted: 19 Sep 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous WildStar brought up an interesting topic last week with the revelation that the MMO would feature mobs telegraphing their moves so as to allow players the chance to dodge out of the way or otherwise react. This isn't a new concept, of course; both The Secret World and Guild Wars 2 feature both special attack warnings and the ability to dodge. So it makes me wonder if this is a growing trend in MMO combat. For so long, we've mostly stood in place when fighting an enemy without the need to move around or be aware of mobs telegraphing their most powerful attacks. For some, this shift to a more mobile and reactive combat experience might be a breath of fresh air, but for others, I can see it as being more annoying than engaging. What say you? Is this the type of combat you'd like to see a lot more often? Do these telegraphed moves give you an additional advantage in a fight or prove to be a liability? 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 you like mobs telegraphing their moves? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Chinese MMO market gravitating toward hardcore and competitive titles Posted: 18 Sep 2012 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous China has something of a reputation in the online gaming world as the land of many MMOs, but it looks like things may be changing soon. Gamasutra reports that a study by Niko Partners, an Asian game-market analytics firm, shows that "Chinese players are showing an increased demand for hardcore browser-based web games." According to the study, PC game revenue in China has grown by 37% in 2012 while online game operators' revenues have increased by 26%. The disparity in growth between the two suggests that the Chinese online gaming market is losing steam. Interestingly, Gamasutra notes that the only outlier in the data is Tencent, operator of a number of traditional MMOs as well as the wildly popular League of Legends. That studio has managed to grow significantly. Niko Partners notes that this growth is a direct result of non-traditional titles like the MOBA it publishes in China. As Niko rep Lisa Cosmas Hanson noted, "For several years Niko has cautioned that the repetitive theme of cultural mythical history MMORPGs in China was beginning to bore gamers, and that new types of games would be necessary to revive waning demand for those games." If you consider the size and importance of the Chinese online gaming market in the grand scheme of the industry, this paradigm shift could be a look toward the future of the MMO genre. Chinese MMO market gravitating toward hardcore and competitive titles originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Game Archaeologist: Happy birthday, Warhammer Online and Fallen Earth! Posted: 18 Sep 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Warhammer Online, Free-to-play, The Game Archaeologist, Post-Apocalyptic, Anniversary September is a special month for me because it was around this time that two MMOs personally meaningful to me launched. Four years ago, Warhammer Online came into being amid a flurry of hype, insane expectations, and fan frenzy. It's the game that excited me enough to start my journey as a blogger, eventually landing me a spot here on Massively. And three years ago, Fallen Earth opened my eyes to how much fun an MMO about the end of the world and crafting could be. Despite the fact that neither of these titles qualifies for the title of "success" these days, I still bear a soft spot in my heart for them. I spent well over a year in each game, racking up several memories and useful lessons that I'd carry with me going forward. And I don't regret a single day playing them. Since this month is the fourth anniversary of WAR and the third of Fallen Earth, I wanted to offer a hearty "congrats!" and take a minute to see what's been moving and shaking in these games during this past year. Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Happy birthday, Warhammer Online and Fallen Earth! The Game Archaeologist: Happy birthday, Warhammer Online and Fallen Earth! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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City of Heroes reveals pre-sunset billing and refund plans Posted: 18 Sep 2012 06:30 PM PDT |
Torchlight II gives away its full soundtrack Posted: 18 Sep 2012 06:00 PM PDT |
Hands-on with DC Universe Online's Hand of Fate DLC Posted: 18 Sep 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Expansions, Game mechanics, Interviews, Patches, Previews, PvP, PvE, Free-to-play, Massively Hands-on, DC Universe Online Ah, DC Universe Online. It's what I like to call a vacation MMO. It's so easy to run that even older machines can tackle it, yet it still looks great even in screenshots. The action-based combat seems odd at first, but within a few minutes, you realize just how much fun it is to pick up cars, fly straight into the sky, and jump off buildings, landing with a massive THUD. It's just fun to play, and on top of that, its character creation is often overlooked. It gives players satisfying control over how a character moves and feels. I've enjoyed making smaller scrapper-types so far, but I played an entirely different character for this press tour. Yes, I said press tour! I joined DCUO Creative Director Jens Anderson for a hands-on with the latest DLC, Hand of Fate. We found ourselves in a PUG -- yes, a PUG -- and took orders from Doctor Fate himself. Read on! Continue reading Hands-on with DC Universe Online's Hand of Fate DLC Hands-on with DC Universe Online's Hand of Fate DLC originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TERA's staff planning on more events and more content updates Posted: 18 Sep 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Patches, Previews, News items, TERA TERA has consolidated to three servers today, but the latest dispatch from producer Chris Hager doesn't dwell on that. No, this dispatch is all about what the game has in the pipeline, starting with more events for players to enjoy. Hager lays out plans the team has made for the fall, like new small-scale events run by the staff on a more regular basis alongside weekend events targeting larger groups of players. The update doesn't mention dates, but it does give several ideas of event types (random races or scavenger hunts as flash events, increased dungeon rewards for weekend events). Hager also stresses that the game is rolling out further content updates starting with the return of crafting quests and a large-scale Berserker update. There's another large patch due out this fall as well as significant changes to Enchanting, and there are undisclosed further projects being developed jointly by En Masse Entertainment and Bluehole Studios. Players looking for more details can glean a few from the official letter. TERA's staff planning on more events and more content updates originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Anarchy Online's director leaves the game Posted: 18 Sep 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Anarchy Online, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play Parting is such sweet sorrow, and fans of Anarchy Online are receiving a full dose of that sorrow. Fia Tjernberg, the game's current director, has announced in a forum post that she is leaving her post as director due to the deteriorating health of a family member and the numerous Funcom layoffs. As she puts it, her departure ensures that the existing staff will have less pressure to reduce its numbers, which she feels is better for the health of the game in the long run. Tjernberg stresses that the team behind Anarchy Online has completed or nearly completed a number of wonderful projects that improve the overall game experience, including the graphical revamp, which is slated to be released in the near future. At this time there has been no announcement of who will be the game's next director. This comes in the wake of Tjernberg's previous statements regarding the layoffs and Anarchy Online and last week's announcement that senior content designer Brad McAtee is departing the game. [Thanks to David for the tip!] Anarchy Online's director leaves the game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's Gabe Amatangelo on 1.4 and free-to-play Posted: 18 Sep 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, Massively Interviews, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon It's not usual for the Hyperspace Beacon to feature two interviews in a row, but Star Wars: The Old Republic has some major changes coming. Update 1.4 promises to give us new and exciting content like a new operation and a new warzone, and after the EA earnings call, we learned that SWTOR will tackle the free-to-play market. Readers and fans voiced both concerns and excitement over this move. I couldn't just let that stand; I had to pose some questions to the BioWare developers. SWTOR's Principal Lead PvP Designer Gabe Amatangelo picked up the call. Our conversation focused on these two major changes to the game and the concerns fans have for the game's immediate future. Read on! Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's Gabe Amatangelo on 1.4 and free-to-play Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's Gabe Amatangelo on 1.4 and free-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Warhammer Online celebrates fourth anniversary with rewards and bonuses Posted: 18 Sep 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, Anniversary Belch forth a mighty "WAAAGH!" today, for Warhammer Online is now officially four years old. EA Mythic's dark fantasy title came on the scene in 2008 with a strong emphasis on PvP combat. To celebrate the occasion, Mythic announced that all players will enjoy 10 days of bonus XP and RP starting today. Also as part of the festivities, fireworks can be looted from corpses during this time. Why are so many warriors carrying fireworks? Discount sale, of course. Finally, Mythic is rewarding the faithful who have stuck with WAR for all four years with a new portable mailbox at the end of the month. The devs used this opportunity to remind players that patch 1.4.7 is on course to go live later in September after the Wild Hunt event. The team's also working on a new random live event and an upcoming community patch. Warhammer Online celebrates fourth anniversary with rewards and bonuses originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Schubert to dissect Meridian 59 at GDC Online Posted: 18 Sep 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Meridian 59, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items Those darn GDC organizers! They're still using the term postmortem for games that are very much alive. In this case it's Meridian 59, and former lead designer Damion Schubert will take the stage at GDC Online 2012 for a special Classic Game Postmortem lecture focused on the 1996 title. A GDC press release says that Meridian 59 was the first MMO to charge a monthly fee and use 3-D graphics and that it "began an era that set the stage for the MMORPG genre as we know it." Schubert went on to work on titles including Shadowbane, The Sims Online, and Star Wars: The Old Republic. [Source: GDC press release] Schubert to dissect Meridian 59 at GDC Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement Posted: 18 Sep 2012 12:44 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic The doctors... are out. BioWare announced that Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk, co-founders of the studio, are retiring from the gaming biz. The two have been instrumental in the creation of many hit RPGs, from Baldur's Gate to Mass Effect. For us MMO fans, they're best-known for helming the ship that brought us Star Wars: The Old Republic. The two are taking a break, perhaps indefinitely, from game creation and management. Muzyka is looking to engage in charities and social work, while Zeschuk is going to dive into projects involving craft beer. "This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make; after thinking about it for many months, I made the decision to retire from videogames back in early April 2012 -- at that time I provided six months' notice to EA, to help enable a solid transition for my teams at BioWare," Muzyka wrote in his farewell letter. "This decision isn't without significant pain and regret, but it's also something I know I need to do, for myself and my family. I've reached an unexpected point in my life where I no longer have the passion that I once did for the company, for the games, and for the challenge of creation," Zeschuk said in his. The two maintain that BioWare is in good hands and will continue to excel going forward. BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Irish BioWare support center for SWTOR converting to general EA use Posted: 18 Sep 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Miscellaneous Initially opened last year as a support center for Star Wars: The Old Republic, the BioWare facility in Galway, Ireland, is expanding and converting to house EA's European customer support needs for all of its major titles. With this move, an additional 300 employees will be hired over the next few months. The facility has also dropped its BioWare Ireland name. EA COO Peter Moore explained some benefits of the move by pointing out that Ireland has both a good pool of talent available and the technology infrastructure needed. The Irish Government, which is focusing on video games in its plan for job growth, is supporting the move. Irish BioWare support center for SWTOR converting to general EA use originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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New DC Universe Online Hand of Fate DLC available now Posted: 18 Sep 2012 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, PvP, News items, PvE, Free-to-play, DC Universe Online DC Universe Online is growing by leaps and bounds, as today marks the superhero title's fifth DLC update. The pack is called Hand of Fate, and it adds a bunch of new side quests, new group operations that give high-level players something to do in both Gotham and Metropolis, and new utility belt attachments. New magic-powered Legends PvP characters are available too (Doctor Fate and Felix Faust). Free and premium DCUO players can pick up the Hand of Fate content for $9.99, while Legendary members get it free of charge. [Source: SOE press release] New DC Universe Online Hand of Fate DLC available now originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Darkfall Unholy Wars 'in the final stretch for launch' [Updated] Posted: 18 Sep 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, Sandbox OK, Darkfall fans. Aventurine has made it officially official. Darkfall 2.0, formerly known as Darkfall 2010, is now known as Darkfall Unholy Wars. It's basically a brand-new game born of the dev team's frustrations with trying to update the original title and realize the full scope of their vision for a PvP-centric fantasy MMO. "We're in the final stretch for launch right now," says AV's Tasos Flambouras. "We're testing the game internally and it's in a very playable state." AV has released a new video interview detailing the new title. The clip runs for approximately six minutes and shows off behind-the-scenes footage as well as a few talking head interview snippets. There's also a glimpse of the new game's GUI, the original version of which was a long-standing thorn in the side of Darkfall fans since the first game's 2009 release. See for yourself after the cut. [Update]: A new AV blog post confirms the Unholy Wars launch date as November 20th. Continue reading Darkfall Unholy Wars 'in the final stretch for launch' [Updated] Darkfall Unholy Wars 'in the final stretch for launch' [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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