| EVE University public classes begin next week Posted: 10 Jul 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Events (In-Game), Sandbox, Player-Generated Content Are you interested in checking out EVE Online, but don't feel like being thrown to the dogs on day one? Luckily there's a training corp in game called EVE University and classes are starting up on July 15th. This is the first time EVE U's classes will be open to the public, and with courses such as Trading 101, Aggression and Engagement, and Drones 101, you know why they say internet spaceships are serious business. And if you're an old hat at the game and feel like donning an ascot and pipe and lecturing to a bunch of noobs, EVE U is also looking for teachers and lecturers.  EVE University public classes begin next week originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Jul 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| League of Legends video previews 3.9 patch Posted: 10 Jul 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends As is wont to happen, patches bring change. And League of Legend's upcoming 3.9 patch is no different. In the latest video patch preview, Riot Games highlights some of those incoming alterations to the popular MOBA. This time around Draven is the first in line for a nerf bat makeover. Deemed an unfair champion (thanks to his unmatched early game damage), the team toned Draven down by modifying his passive ability. Next up, LeBlanc is actually getting buffed up to improve her flexibility. And finally, Oracle's Elixer and wards are getting a few changes; kill gold for a ward will be split between the player that finds it as well as the one that kills it, and Oracle's Elixer will persist through death, but have a shortened duration and reveal radius. You can catch all the details in the video after the break. [Source: Riot Games press release] Continue reading League of Legends video previews 3.9 patch League of Legends video previews 3.9 patch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Jul 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MMO Family: Can gaming boost kids' physical activity? Posted: 10 Jul 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Kids, MMO Family, Family, Miscellaneous One of the main concerns that parents have about their children's video game playtime is that it can correlate with inactivity, obesity, and a lack of interest in getting off the couch and doing things. And with reports coming out that sitting is the new smoking, they have good reason to be worried. As video games get more and more mainstream and the couch gets used more and more, young children could start to look like those passengers on the AXIOM in Wall-E. But a recent study by Australian researchers featured in the British Medical Journal may shed a ray of optimism that video games can, in fact, offer opportunities for physical activity after all. Is there hope that younger gamers can avoid a sedentary existence as they grow up? Let's take a look in this week's MMO Family. Continue reading MMO Family: Can gaming boost kids' physical activity? MMO Family: Can gaming boost kids' physical activity? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Jul 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Choose My Adventure: Saying goodbye to Firefall's New Eden Posted: 10 Jul 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, PvE, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Choose My Adventure, Post-Apocalyptic, Firefall, MMORPG For the last five weeks, I've plasma-rifled, jet-booted, and resource-thumped my way through the exotic world of Firefall's New Eden. I've killed many bugs. I've fallen from many waterfalls. I've drowned in many deeper-than-expected bodies of water. And most of all, I've had many funs (I assure you that is the proper way of saying it). Sadly, all good things must end. And while this edition of Choose My Adventure comes to a close this week, our own Shawn Schuster will be leaping into the fray next week to ask for your input on which game we should play next. Time has a way of rolling on, after all, and there are so many games worth playing! But that's next week. Today, let's talk final thoughts. Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Saying goodbye to Firefall's New Eden Choose My Adventure: Saying goodbye to Firefall's New Eden originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Jul 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: What MMO projects have you started lately? Posted: 10 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Summertime always seems to bring out the altoholic in me. The stretch of largely release-free months between spring and fall is the perfect time to try out a new character and see a different angle of the game. I'm currently doing this in just about every MMO I'm playing. I'm leveling up a new Dragon in The Secret World after completing all of the quests on my Templar, I'm planning to roll a Hobbit Minstrel on a new server in Lord of the Rings Online to start from scratch, and I've jumped back into RIFT with a baby Mage. Whether or not these projects go anywhere is almost irrelevant as long as I'm enjoying them right now. Which I am. So what MMO projects have you started lately? Any lofty goals you're looking to achieve by the end of August?  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: What MMO projects have you started lately? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Jul 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Jukebox Heroes: PlanetSide 2's soundtrack Posted: 09 Jul 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Opinion, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2, Jukebox Heroes, Music PlanetSide 2 has a strange soundtrack, no doubt about it. For starters, the game is more about conflict and fragging than it is about lore and story. That's fine if that's its goal, but since so much about MMO scoring is driven by the story and places, it forced Composer Jeff Broadbent to focus on the factions instead. He then fractured the score into three parts, with each part sounding radically different than the others in an effort to underline a faction with a musical style. Thus, Terran Republic tracks are all about orchestra and choir, New Conglomerate tracks use blues rock, and Vanu Sovereignty rely mostly on synth. The styles are so different from each other that I can't see anyone loving this entire soundtrack, but I bet anyone could find at least one part to enjoy. Let's chew on these notes and spit out our favorites like the rough, tough music fans we are! Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: PlanetSide 2's soundtrack Jukebox Heroes: PlanetSide 2's soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jul 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SOE teases new EverQuest Next art Posted: 09 Jul 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Races, EverQuest Next SOE is drumming up a little social media publicity for EverQuest Next. The forthcoming fantasy MMO, scheduled to be formally unveiled at next month's SOE Live convention in Las Vegas, is the subject of a new concept art painting that's being revealed as part of a teaser promotion. SOE is parceling out additional characters in Gabor Sziksai's artwork as fans join the firm's social networking spaces. If the painting looks familiar, that's because Sziksai has reimagined original EverQuest artist Keith Parkinson's seminal concept art, which is also viewable on the official EQN website. [Thanks everyone who tipped us!] SOE teases new EverQuest Next art originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jul 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Turbine: 'We plan to support LotRO for many more years to come' Posted: 09 Jul 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Free-to-Play, Community Q&A Twenty questions is one of the oldest car trip games known to humanity. Turbine likes to think that it's the best at it, especially when it comes to Lord of the Rings Online. In a new post, the devs answer 20 pressing questions that the community had this month. These questions range from the possibility of live events with developers, how horses are made and animated, the future of PvMP, how Turbine tunes zone difficulty, mailing more than one item at a time, and the proposed PvMP zone that ended up getting scrapped. Turbine also addressed the future of the game and said that its relationship with Middle-earth Enterprises is still strong: "We plan to support LotRO for many more years to come." The community is understandably curious about the seldom-heard player council, but Turbine says that the council is doing its job: "The council has been very helpful. It gives us the opportunity to have very focused conversations. The threads don't go on in to 40-plus pages and the topics are very pertinent to current development. So far it has been a great and responsive sounding board." Turbine: 'We plan to support LotRO for many more years to come' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jul 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Take a tour of Dragon Nest's Resurrection update Posted: 09 Jul 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Patches, Free-to-Play, Dragon Nest Dragon Nest (not to, y'know, be confused with any other game sporting the dragon moniker) is prepping for an exciting update to this action MMO. Called Resurrection, the patch will bump up the level cap to 60, add five new dungeons to the game, and offer players the chance to earn some truly outrageous gear. We've got a video tour of the Resurrection patch after the jump to help give you a good feel for what it's offering. It's bold, it's zesty, it's everything that you want in a salad dressing but are getting in an online roleplaying game! Continue reading Take a tour of Dragon Nest's Resurrection update Take a tour of Dragon Nest's Resurrection update originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jul 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Soapbox: You will not wish you had spent more time gaming Posted: 09 Jul 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Aion, EVE Online, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous, MMORPG Spoiler alert: You are going to die. It's inescapable. Maybe you fall off a cliff. Maybe you grow old and fade peacefully into the nether. Maybe hawk-wolves pick the lock on your front door and attack while you're frying eggs and trying to remember what you had planned for the day. Maybe you sneeze on the subway and your head literally explodes, ruining the morning commute of dozens of office drones. Whatever the cause and time, death is the inevitable conclusion to the story of your life. It can be neat, it can be messy, it can be expected, it can be a surprise, but it always comes. And no matter who you are, I'm willing to bet one thing about that cacophonous moment in which the world slows and you stare death in the face: You will not wish you had spent more time raiding. Continue reading The Soapbox: You will not wish you had spent more time gaming The Soapbox: You will not wish you had spent more time gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jul 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR mid-term report card Posted: 09 Jul 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon, MMORPG It's history lesson time. In 1996, Dr. Richard Bartle, who earned his PhD in artificial intelligence from the University of Essex, wrote a paper analyzing the different types of gamers who play massively multiplayer games. At the time, these games mostly consisted of MUDs (a genre Bartle helped create), but there were certainly enough data from Bartle's study that could be ported over to MMORPGs, which is exactly what Erwin Andreasen and Brandon Downey did in 1999 and 2000 when they created the Bartle Test. Since then, the Bartle Test, which breaks up online gamers into four general categories (achiever, explorer, killer, and socializer), has been used as a standard in discovering which online games players would enjoy most. Why bring this up? Well, we are about six months into the second year of Star Wars: The Old Republic. The first year was fraught with high expectations and slow delivery. Many failed attempts at greatness made the first year of SWTOR a bit of a downer. However, in this second year, in light of the ever-changing market of MMORPGs, the Star Wars MMO took steps to put itself on a better path. Using the Bartle Test as my litmus test, I will break down and grade this year's performance so far. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR mid-term report card Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR mid-term report card originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jul 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Red 5 celebrates Firefall open beta with live-action trailer Posted: 09 Jul 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, Launches, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Post-Apocalyptic, MMORPG It's official: Firefall, which has been in closed beta for what seems like forever, has taken one tiny step toward an actual release by entering open beta. Starting today, right now, you and your friends can leap into Red 5's MMOFPS and get to shooting, assuming, you know, that you haven't already been playing it. For over a year. Anyhow, Red 5 is marking the long-overdue launch of open beta with a live-action trailer that features a surly man drinking bourbon, a girl on a stretcher, and yes, thumping. They actually put thumping in the trailer. Check it out after the break. Continue reading Red 5 celebrates Firefall open beta with live-action trailer Red 5 celebrates Firefall open beta with live-action trailer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jul 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| TUG puts out the call for fan-made music Posted: 09 Jul 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, News Items, Miscellaneous, Sandbox, Music, Crowdfunding The game of TUG is all about user creations. The entire concept behind the game is making a world in which players can shape land and social structures according to their desires. So it makes sense that the game is looking to see if the more musically inclined community members would like a chance to get their compositions into the game. Because even if the game has plenty of songs for play, there's always space to fit in some talented fan productions. Currently the team at Nerd Kingdom is gauging interest in the idea, which would play a random selection of fan-made music on the game's menu screen. The piece played would include the composer's name, the title, and a link to where more of the composer's music could be found. It's not payment, but if you think you'd benefit from the exposure, feel free to take a look and express your interest. TUG puts out the call for fan-made music originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jul 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google Street View: creepy or cool? We're leaning towards amazing! How else would some of us ever be able to visit some of the world's most remarkable landmarks and historical structures? Furthermore, if you're trying to take advantage of this summer by really going scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef or scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro, why not preview the locales with Google Street View first? After all, you'll be able to see some of the most breathtaking parts of the planet for free and you won't have to deal with some of the extreme weather conditions!
Scrappy notebook comes ready to rumble
Faster Haswell parts are on the way
A monitor for serious photography and graphics pros
Rich notifications for all!
A multimedia monster
