MMO Updates |
- SWTOR, Diablo III, Raph Koster, and more honored in GDC Online awards
- Ask Massively: Forums, edit buttons, and staff change-ups
- GDC Online 2012: CCP on keeping players cheaply
- GDC Online 2012: Age of Wushu gets a new trailer
- PlanetSide 2 Command Center brings a beta update and spotlight on Heavy Assaulters
- Allods Online overhauls female model and animations
- The Daily Grind: What old game would you play as an MMO?
- Final Fantasy XIV shows off A Realm Reborn on the PlayStation 3
- League of Legends tournament cheaters fined $30,000
- GDC Online 2012: Raph Koster's keynote on a Theory of Fun, 10 years later
- GDC Online 2012: Gamigo showcases Otherland and Grimlands
- Choose My Adventure: The final curtain falls on our TSW run
- Free for All: Ryzom - when a server merge feels right
- Lineage II launches a teaser site for Glory Days
- Looking at the wildlife of WildStar's Galeras region
- GDC Online 2012: ArenaNet's Cameron Dunn on programming the next generation online world
- Check out 25 minutes of Marvels Heroes in action
- EVE Online video and dev blog detail improvements coming with Retribution
- Cold, tired, and dead: Hands-on with PlanetSide 2's newest continent
- Guild Wars 2: Now with two-factor authentication
- GDC Online 2012: Age of Wushu's wide-open world
- Chris Roberts returns with open-world Star Citizen sandbox
- RIFT dimensions video asks, 'What will you create?' [Updated]
- A Mild-Mannered Reporter: No hope for CoH, no faltering for us
- MechWarrior Online open beta starts October 16th
- GDC Online 2012: SWTOR's Damion Schubert dissects story as a mechanic
- Ninja gear to premiere in North American Aion
- Enter at Your Own Rift: Expansion anxiety
- Neverwinter beta keys available in Halloween writing contest
| SWTOR, Diablo III, Raph Koster, and more honored in GDC Online awards Posted: 11 Oct 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic, League of Legends, Diablo III  Raph Koster was officially recognized with an online game legend award, and World of Warcraft received a hall of fame award. Blizzard also scored with Diablo III, receiving an award for having the best audio for an online game. The award for best social network game went to Draw Something, and thatgamecompany won an online innovation award for Journey.  Massively sent two plucky game journalists -- Beau Hindman and Karen Bryan -- to Austin, Texas, for this year's GDC Online, where they'll be reporting back on MMO trends, community theory, old favorites, and new classics. Stay tuned for even more highlights from the show!
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| Ask Massively: Forums, edit buttons, and staff change-ups Posted: 11 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, Ask Massively, Community Q&A, Miscellaneous  But this is Ask Massively, the meta column where you ask us weird questions and we give you weird answers. So what else did you wonder about this week? Continue reading Ask Massively: Forums, edit buttons, and staff change-ups
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| GDC Online 2012: CCP on keeping players cheaply Posted: 11 Oct 2012 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox  Woodward recently gave a talk at GDC Online titled The Other White Meat: Design Architecture for Sandbox Games. The presentation focused on the three pillars used by the firm to power its long-running EVE Online MMORPG. Woodward stressed social aspects, goals and goal-driven players, and most importantly, emergent gameplay. "The big win is that emergence is cheap. A lot of emergent gameplay discussion is about the One Big Moment. In EVE, the big heist that happened six years ago, in Ultima Online, the assassination of Lord British," Woodward explained. "If you do this well, people will play your game forever. People will pay for it forever." Massively sent two plucky game journalists -- Beau Hindman and Karen Bryan -- to Austin, Texas, for this year's GDC Online, where they'll be reporting back on MMO trends, community theory, old favorites, and new classics. Stay tuned for even more highlights from the show!
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| GDC Online 2012: Age of Wushu gets a new trailer Posted: 11 Oct 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Events, real-world, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Sandbox, Age of Wushu  Age of Wushu is a free-to-play sandbox title currently scheduled for a North American release in May of 2013. See the trailer in its entirety after the cut. Continue reading GDC Online 2012: Age of Wushu gets a new trailer
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| PlanetSide 2 Command Center brings a beta update and spotlight on Heavy Assaulters Posted: 11 Oct 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, Humor, Dev Diaries, PlanetSide 2  Higby says that the team just did a full wipe in the beta due to the sheer amount of changes and improvements that SOE made. He also said that the population cap has been increased for this next step. Isaac invites SOE Live attendees to participate in the $10,000 PlanetSide 2 tournament. While online registrations for it are closed, players can sign up in person at the event. Check out episode six after the break! Continue reading PlanetSide 2 Command Center brings a beta update and spotlight on Heavy Assaulters
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| Allods Online overhauls female model and animations Posted: 11 Oct 2012 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play, Allods Online  Are we in an '80s romcom montage or what? The makeover for the women includes a more detailed character model, improved animations, an additional face, and more hairstyles. The team is also tweaking hair models so that locks of hair will now be seen falling from inside of whatever helm that character is wearing. To promote the Xadaganian makeover, gPotato released a video diary starring actress Nataliya Zemtsova. Zemtsova was used for the motion capture and voiceovers of the new models and is apparently amazed that you can assign a character a name. Check it out after the jump! Continue reading Allods Online overhauls female model and animations
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| The Daily Grind: What old game would you play as an MMO? Posted: 11 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  In an ideal world, I'd love to see Sundog: Frozen Legacy repurposed as an MMO. For one thing, it was the first computer game I ever played. For another, it had a nifty Firefly feel to it a couple of decades prior to Firefly. Finally, there simply aren't many hard sci-fi MMOs out there that blend space combat with trading and planetary action. What about you, morning crew? What old game would you play as an MMO?  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!
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| Final Fantasy XIV shows off A Realm Reborn on the PlayStation 3 Posted: 10 Oct 2012 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Previews, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV  The overall look is a bit cleaner than the PC version of the UI that players have seen previously, although the graphics are a bit softer around the edges. But it's still recognizably the same game. This batch also includes some concept art for new role-focused chocobo barding, something that's sure to excite fans of the yellow birds. Take a look at the gallery for all of the screenshots and concept art. [Source: Square-Enix press release]
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| League of Legends tournament cheaters fined $30,000 Posted: 10 Oct 2012 07:30 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, MOBA, League of Legends  This week Riot carried out a full review of each match that was called into question, investigating both the incidents of players peeking at the opposing team's map and the impact on the match. One team was cleared of all misconduct, three were issued warnings for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Korean team Azubu Frost was fined 20% of its winnings. The $30,000 fine will be donated to Riot Games' charity programme in Korea.
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| GDC Online 2012: Raph Koster's keynote on a Theory of Fun, 10 years later Posted: 10 Oct 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Massively Event Coverage, Miscellaneous  Continue reading GDC Online 2012: Raph Koster's keynote on a Theory of Fun, 10 years later
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| GDC Online 2012: Gamigo showcases Otherland and Grimlands Posted: 10 Oct 2012 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Business models, Classes, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, Previews, PvP, News items, PvE, Free-to-play, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage, Miscellaneous, Otherland, Crafting  Massively sat down with Gamigo CEO Patrick Streppel to get a firsthand look at both games. Read on for highlights from both the Otherland and Grimlands demos! Continue reading GDC Online 2012: Gamigo showcases Otherland and Grimlands
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| Choose My Adventure: The final curtain falls on our TSW run Posted: 10 Oct 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Real life, PvP, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Secret World, Choose My Adventure  To soon, too soon the show is over! But what a run it has been; our stage production of The Secret World has been a success. Between wandering the streets of New York, checking out the story of the Illuminati, and diving into everything from dungeons to investigating puzzles, this Choose My Adventure has been a fun experience. I stretched myself, doing things I wouldn't normally do. And that's all from your direction, so I thank you. But the curtain hasn't fallen yet; the final act has yet to play out; your final instructions have yet to be carried out. How did the battle fare in El Dorado? Stay in your seats for this grande finale. And on with the show! Continue reading Choose My Adventure: The final curtain falls on our TSW run
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| Free for All: Ryzom - when a server merge feels right Posted: 10 Oct 2012 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Screenshots, Culture, Events, in-game, Ryzom, Opinion, Free-to-play, Roleplaying, Virtual worlds, Free for All, Post-Apocalyptic, Sandbox  MMOs, especially indies, can leap from owner to owner and server to server quite easily. It's not unusual to say the least. Ryzom has been through more of these changes than I care to recall, but the core game and long list of veteran characters have remained -- that is, until the developer announced that, along with the merge, characters would be wiped. Players flipped out. The forums were filled with intense conversations, and even non-players were astonished. Consider the Darkfall announcement by contrast. Some Darkfall players are apparently looking forward to the character wipe. But Ryzom is not a FFA PvP title. Roleplayers are very happy in Ryzom; I am one of them. Luckily the developers tweaked the decision, and now I have been playing on my old character, back in the world of Atys. Was the decision a good one? I think so. Continue reading Free for All: Ryzom - when a server merge feels right
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| Lineage II launches a teaser site for Glory Days Posted: 10 Oct 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lineage 2, Expansions, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Housing  High-level players can venture to the Isle of Souls for solo or small-party play, take on Pagan's Temple for solo or group play, make a small team to infiltrate Nornil's Cave, or take part in the daily instanced raid of Nornil's Garden. Meanwhile, all players can enjoy the revised Mentoring and Reputation system, while players with a Subclass can enjoy special dual-class abilities as well as a free subclass level reset. And there's a whole revamped system of Clan Wars coming, complete with contestable halls. Really, if you're an avid Lineage II player, you might want to just look at the site.
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| Looking at the wildlife of WildStar's Galeras region Posted: 10 Oct 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, Previews, News items, WildStar  Stemdragons have been seen by fans before, having starred as the antagonist in the game's first trailer. Buzzbings and Scrabs are new, however -- the former is an insect the size of a small car that traps its enemies with honey, the latter is a cross between a beetle and a crab with thick armor and a propensity for burrowing. Read more on the tactics of these monsters and the lore surrounding them in the full article.
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| GDC Online 2012: ArenaNet's Cameron Dunn on programming the next generation online world Posted: 10 Oct 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Bugs, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Guild Wars 2, Massively Event Coverage  He revealed some of the ways in which his team uses metrics and tools to streamline gameplay, test bugs, and pinpoint problem areas as efficiently as possible. For a look at what goes on behind the game, read on for panel highlights!
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| Check out 25 minutes of Marvels Heroes in action Posted: 10 Oct 2012 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Super-hero, Video, Free-to-play, Marvel Heroes  The video portion follows Deadpool through an instance called The Raft -- a giant ocean prison tower. While the combat isn't too sophisticated, it's cool to see scripted events and impressive entrances made by enemies. Later on, the devs show off a public zone where Iron Man blasts through hordes of enemies while encountering Daredevil, Storm, Wolverine, the Thing, the Hulk, and the Scarlet Witch. If you're looking for a superhero-slant on Diablo-style gameplay, then give this video a watch and see if it might be right for you. Continue reading Check out 25 minutes of Marvels Heroes in action
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| EVE Online video and dev blog detail improvements coming with Retribution Posted: 10 Oct 2012 03:15 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, EVE Online, Expansions, MMO industry, Sandbox  In addition, CCP has released a new dev blog by CCP karkur from Team Pony Express detailing a few of the upcoming user experience improvements coming with Retribution. One of these is a clearer indicator of who's dealing the most damage to your ship. CCP karkur points out that this is still in very early development, so things may change slightly between now and launch on December 4th. Check out the complete dev blog for more information; the full video with CCP Ripley is after the jump Continue reading EVE Online video and dev blog detail improvements coming with Retribution
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| Cold, tired, and dead: Hands-on with PlanetSide 2's newest continent Posted: 10 Oct 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, PlanetSide, Previews, War, Free-to-play, Hands-on, MMOFPS, Massively Hands-on, PlanetSide 2  Now, there's a new kid in town: a vast, frozen wasteland that brings new challenges and new stories to the game in a way that Indar perhaps never could. It's called Esamir, and I gave my life (several times) to control and defend it. This is my PlanetSide 2 story. Continue reading Cold, tired, and dead: Hands-on with PlanetSide 2's newest continent
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| Guild Wars 2: Now with two-factor authentication Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:45 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, News items, Guild Wars 2  Security has kind of been a hot topic in Guild Wars 2. ArenaNet announced a couple weeks ago that they were working on bringing two-factor authentication into play, and that joyous day has arrived! A new post on the official forums introduces players to mobile two-factor security. ArenaNet is using Google's authenticator, which is available on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, and players will use this authenticator to verify devices rather than the previous email authentication system. The team is advising people that this is currently a beta feature, and already has two changes planned for the near future. Soon, unlinking the mobile authentication system will require additional codes, and users will have an option to remember current networks rather than having to authenticate every login. Visit the official post for complete details for setting up the authentication system.
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| GDC Online 2012: Age of Wushu's wide-open world Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Interviews, Previews, Free-to-play, Massively Event Coverage, Age of Wushu  Snail Games Associate Producer Colin Miller agrees with the first but not the second. At GDC Online, Miller sat down with us to pitch why Age of Wushu deserves your full, undivided attention -- and eventual patronage. Age of Wushu is a martial arts sandbox MMO that takes place in gorgeous ancient China. If you've ever seen a period piece from that country, you already know how graceful these stylized fights can be; now you'll see them in an online game. Developed in China, Age of Wushu is ready to stun Western audiences with the help of Snail Games and its crack dev team. Continue reading GDC Online 2012: Age of Wushu's wide-open world
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| Chris Roberts returns with open-world Star Citizen sandbox Posted: 10 Oct 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Sandbox  Roberts has released an 11-minute video detailing various aspects of the ambitious game (it's been in development for a year now), which include a co-op fighter pilot campaign and a huge Freelancer-style cosmos that allows players to pursue their own goals. Wanna be a pirate? Go ahead. A trader? Sure thing. Oh, you want absurdly immersive details like full working cockpits, flightsuit wrinkles, and physics-based spaceflight too? You got 'em. "I'm building the game, and a universe, that I would like to play, so it's for gamers like myself," Roberts explains. "I wouldn't say that I'm a social, casual gamer who plays Farmville. I like sophisticated experiences." Roberts goes on to explain why he's chosen the route of PC-exclusive in an era when consoles and mobile platforms are all the rage, and he also touches on the subject of crowd-funding. His goal is a relatively modest $2 million, and he's aiming to achieve it directly on the game's own website rather than via a third-party intermediary like Kickstarter. He's also got quite a bit of in-engine footage to show already, and you can see it in the clip after the cut. Is Star Citizen an MMO, though? That's hard to say at this juncture. We know it's massive in scale, and we know it's multiplayer, but thus far we don't know much about the server setup or how many concurrent users are in the cards. [Thanks to Scott for the tip!] Continue reading Chris Roberts returns with open-world Star Citizen sandbox
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| RIFT dimensions video asks, 'What will you create?' [Updated] Posted: 10 Oct 2012 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Expansions, RIFT, Housing  In the video, houses are made and destroyed in a matter of seconds, showing how many options are available to creative players who piece together elements to make something greater. In addition to houses, the video shows a longboat and tree fort being built, all with dynamic lighting and complete customization. Check it out after the break and let us know what you think! [Update: RIFT's Storm Legion Beta 2 will run from Friday, October 19 at 10 a.m. PDT through Wednesday, October 24 at 8 a.m. PDT] Continue reading RIFT dimensions video asks, 'What will you create?' [Updated]
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| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: No hope for CoH, no faltering for us Posted: 10 Oct 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter  If I sound bitter, it's because I am. But what does this mean for City of Heroes? Is all hope truly lost? Have we lost the fight to save our city? Is there no chance for a reprieve or some shining light in the late night? Well... not much. But this is not actually the change that it's being framed as. This is what we went in knowing, and while it changes the game being played, it doesn't change many of the hard facts. I said in my first column that we were fighting a battle with a slim hope, and the fact that it's now pretty much no hope doesn't change much, nor does it mean we should stop fighting. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: No hope for CoH, no faltering for us
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| MechWarrior Online open beta starts October 16th Posted: 10 Oct 2012 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, New titles, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, MechWarrior Online, MOBA  The Founder's program will officially end on October 14th, two days prior to the start of the open beta. Details about the Founder's packages can be found on the official site. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
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| GDC Online 2012: SWTOR's Damion Schubert dissects story as a mechanic Posted: 10 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Meridian 59, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Endgame, Opinion, Shadowbane, Free-to-play, Massively Event Coverage, Star Wars: The Old Republic  At the Game Developers Conference in Austin, Texas, this week, Schubert spent an hour explaining the thought process and development woes of taking an element like BioWare storytelling and making it work in a massively multiplayer setting. This being the first GDC Online since the launch of SWTOR, Schubert spoke frankly and openly about many of the struggles his team had to overcome to make the gaming systems work. Some of the ideas worked out well; others, not so well. As an avid player of SWTOR, I saw new light. As I listened to Schubert speak, I began to understand why many players are frustrated with elements of the existing game. I also began to understand that if some of the systems and thought processes has been changed early on, players might have received the game better. That said, I also believe that Schubert's team prevented a lot of issues that could have popped up had certain elements been implemented in the way they were originally conceived. Continue reading GDC Online 2012: SWTOR's Damion Schubert dissects story as a mechanic
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| Ninja gear to premiere in North American Aion Posted: 10 Oct 2012 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Aion, News items, Free-to-play  Daevas who love the ninja movement in-game may also love the new ninja-themed armor sets, gis, and weapons. Without any stats of their own, these items can be skinned onto existing armor in game for a completely new look. These skins will available in the BlackCloud Marketplace starting October 17th. Get an exclusive look at all of the looks in the gallery below, and check out Aion's new 3.5 patch that is live now! [Source NCsoft press release]
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| Enter at Your Own Rift: Expansion anxiety Posted: 10 Oct 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Opinion, RIFT, Enter at Your Own Rift  There's a lot I'm looking forward to in Storm Legion, but at the same time, I'm apprehensive about the changes that tend to come with the launch of any expansion. The world of Telara is changing, and Crucia is only part of that. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift we'll look at some of the changes that MMO expansions normally bring and see how they might affect RIFT. Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Expansion anxiety
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| Neverwinter beta keys available in Halloween writing contest Posted: 10 Oct 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Neverwinter  After the contest closes, the three top adventures will receive Neverwinter beta keys and some game swag. All three winners get an official Neverwinter dice bag while the first place winner will also receive an official dragon beanie cap. Full rules and conditions can be found on the official site.
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