| SOE Live 2013: EQII's Destiny of Velious will be free, Age of Discovery split Posted: 03 Aug 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Classes, Expansions, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage) If you didn't have the chance to sit in on the EverQuest II expansion panel at SOE Live, you didn't get to hear the outright confirmation that Producer Holly Longdale hinted at in Thursday's keynote address, namely, that the Destiny of Velious expansion will soon be bundled with the previous expansions and available to all free-to-play players. Yes, that means that the game updates including SkyShrine, Scars of the Awakened, and Darkness Dawns will open up to all! How else could everyone get free access to the level 85 Heroic Characters and experience the high-level content? Longdale also added that the dev team has been listening to community feedback and that the stand alone Age of Discovery expansion will be split into its components so players can buy the features they like and not have to shell out for those they don't. This expansion contains the Beastlord class, the dungeon maker, and mercenaries.  What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, at least where SOE Live is concerned! Massively sent intrepid reporters MJ Guthrie and Karen Bryan to this year's SOE Live, from which they'll be transmitting all the best fan news on EverQuest Next, EverQuest II, DC Universe Online, and the other MMOs on SOE's roster. SOE Live 2013: EQII's Destiny of Velious will be free, Age of Discovery split originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Aug 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WRUP: Month in review edition Posted: 03 Aug 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Massively Meta Hey, gang! It's August, and that means it's time to take a look back at how we did in July. Overall, Massively did pretty well, with very few people noticing that both Matt and Justin had been replaced by cybernetic kill-droids chained to chairs and forced to write. Our top articles were our two-part feature on the history of beans in video games and that livestream where the feed was accidentally replaced with an episode of Adventure Time. This August we plan to diversify our content with the addition of cooking shows, so please, stick around! Please? On what's presumably a related note, it's time for this week's installment of WRUP, which lists what we're playing over the next couple of days. So by all means, take a look at our plans, and let us know what you plan to get up to in the comments. And you can trust me, it's funny if you get the reference. Continue reading WRUP: Month in review edition WRUP: Month in review edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Aug 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: Should character collision matter? Posted: 03 Aug 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Game Mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous The first MMO I ever played was Final Fantasy XI, which had something like a collision mechanic. Running into another player would stop my movement for a moment, but after a second both characters would pass through one another. At the time, I didn't understand that this was done to prevent griefing by preventing players from literally blocking off important locations or walling people in, something that was a minor issue anyway because of the game's nonexistent PvP at the time. Many games now available do away with collision altogether, letting players occupy the same space without a thought for logic. On the one hand, this means that crowded spaces are more easily navigated, unlike the fleet area in Star Wars: The Old Republic's, in which movement is a series of desperate jumps as you try to reach anything. On the other hand, there's something to be said for having physical space play a larger role and forcing players to consider the size of what they're running around. So today we ask you: Should character collision matter? Or should we all just run straight through one another without a care in the world?  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: Should character collision matter? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Aug 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Betawatch: July 27 - August 2, 2013 Posted: 02 Aug 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, MMO Industry, News Items, Betawatch, Miscellaneous Are you completely happy with Firefall right now? Because Red 5's CEO Mark Kern offered an apology this week to everyone affected by issues early in the open beta, vowing that the company as a whole will do better from here on out. The man cannot be accused of hiding behind the beta tag. Whether or not that actually fixes your issues is another story. In other beta news, Infinite Crisis appears to be headed the way of several other recent free-to-play titles by offering the option to pre-purchase item packs for the game in exchange for immediate beta access and other goodies. The Repopulation showed off the Inquiry System, a way to communicate with NPCs about the world and what's going on (such as revealing the location and general aggressiveness of several bears hot on your heels). Oh, right, and we have the usual list of games past the break that are in testing. As always, if we missed something, feel free to let us know in the comments! Continue reading Betawatch: July 27 - August 2, 2013 Betawatch: July 27 - August 2, 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Storyboard: Prophetic Posted: 02 Aug 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Lore, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous Not every game is well suited to prophecies. Star Trek Online doesn't lend itself to vague pronouncements regarding the future, for example. Other games, such as The Secret World, seem to sustain themselves almost entirely upon prophetic vagueness, whether that's regarding mystical secrets or your bank statement for the month. And in a world filled with prophecy, it's tempting to have characters start joining in on the fun and prognosticate the future themselves. It works in books, movies, and games, after all. Of course, the thing is that a book, movie, or game is written before the fact. You can easily write a prophecy that lines up perfectly with something far down the road because you know what happens far down the road. Roleplaying, on the other hand, is not happening with a script, which means that your guesses about the future feel less like prophecy and more like someone randomly stabbing in the dark and hoping to hit something. (So more like actual prognostication.) So how do you make prophecies that don't fall apart when life happens? Here are some tips, naturally. Continue reading Storyboard: Prophetic Storyboard: Prophetic originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Pandora adds Blizzard soundtracks to its library Posted: 02 Aug 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Culture, News Items, Music, Subscription Whether or not you're currently a fan of World of Warcraft, odds are good you've played it and can still recognize some of the music. Blizzard Entertainment has always paired its games with some impressive soundtracks, after all. So whether or not you're in the game, you may be happy to know that you can listen to this music on Pandora, as the popular music service has added tracks from all three of Blizzard's major franchises to its rotation. The tracks are all available on the Video Game Music station, which can be streamed in a browser or via one of the many mobile Pandora clients. It's also mixed in with several other tracks from games, and Pandora allows the creation of custom lineups and stations for user preference. Whether you're in love with the game right now or just want a dose of nostalgia from the main theme of The Burning Crusade, you can listen right now for free. Pandora adds Blizzard soundtracks to its library originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SOE Live 2013: Here's where you can sign up for EverQuest Next's beta Posted: 02 Aug 2013 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next Annnnd, how's about a little EverQuest Next beta signup action to close out your Friday? Here you go and have fun! I bet most of you stopped reading already, didn't ya? I know I did, because truthfully, after you've said 'EQN beta signups,' really what more needs to be said? But Massively has standards, and one of them is word-count in our posts. So, I think now that I've signed up for EQN's beta, I'm going to go eat a piece of pie and rewatch the SOE livestream. Until next time! What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, at least where SOE Live is concerned! Massively sent intrepid reporters MJ Guthrie and Karen Bryan to this year's SOE Live, from which they'll be transmitting all the best fan news on EverQuest Next, EverQuest II, DC Universe Online, and the other MMOs on SOE's roster.SOE Live 2013: Here's where you can sign up for EverQuest Next's beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SOE Live 2013: Get your EQ fix on the go with EverQuest Worlds mobile app Posted: 02 Aug 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Mobile, Events (Massively's Coverage), EverQuest Next  Now that the big EverQuest Next reveal is in the books, we can get on with the business of covering the rest of this weekend's SOE Live. Massively has learned of a new, free mobile app called EverQuest Worlds that "provides you with quests and minigames that reveal lore, content, and rewards from the EverQuest franchise." You can click the source link below to download the app, or search for it in Apple's App Store or via Google Play. If you're at SOE Live, there are two quests built into the app that are designed to enhance your con-going experience. SOE Live 2013: Get your EQ fix on the go with EverQuest Worlds mobile app originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Subscription server bound for Allods Online Posted: 02 Aug 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Allods Online, Subscription A lot of games have gone from subscription to free-to-play, but that's generally been a one-way street. Allods Online is walking in the other direction. After the game opened a subscription server in Russia a while back, the most recent roadmap for the game reveals that a subscription server is due for release over here after the game's next expansion. That presumably means a lot of the perks from the cash shop will be simply available in-game for a flat monthly rate. The letter doesn't mention an exact timeframe or what players can expect from the subscription server, but it's quite clear that the development team has heard the demand and is moving forward on the project. There's also talk of hosting a convention for the game's community in the real world, which would be a first for the title. Allods Online fans should stay alert for more news on both the next expansion and the new server type in the coming months. [Thanks to Mikey for the tip!] Subscription server bound for Allods Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SOE Live 2013: Introducing EverQuest Next Landmark Posted: 02 Aug 2013 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage), EverQuest Next, Sandbox, Housing, Player-Generated Content While you were sitting back and waiting (im)patiently for EverQuest Next, did you guess that there would actually be two EQ Next games coming out? No? Well, surprise! There is actually an independent yet related game that is coming to you sooner than the one you knew about, and EverQuest Franchise Director Dave Georgeson revealed it at SOE Live 2013. If you are a builder, decorator, or Player Studio fanatic, EverQuest Next Landmark is seriously the game for you. In a physical world built on the same principles as EQ Next, Landmark actually gives players the same tools to build as the devs are using to make its namesake. In fact, all the devs were having so much fun on their free time designing and building that they had to offer this same ability to the rest of us! In a nutshell, Landmark allows players to claim a plot of land and construct whatever s/he wants (with the exception of inappropriate things). Recipes and materials to build are found throughout the world. Those creations can then be sold on Player Studio, and players even get royalties if their item is used as a component of another product for sale. Player designs can also possibly find their way into EQ Next. Sound intriguing? Look for more in-depth coverage of Landmark this weekend! Continue reading SOE Live 2013: Introducing EverQuest Next Landmark SOE Live 2013: Introducing EverQuest Next Landmark originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SOE Live 2013: EverQuest Next explained Posted: 02 Aug 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, MMO Industry, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage), The Tattered Notebook, EverQuest Next, Sandbox, Player-Generated Content With that pesky SOE Live embargo out of the way, we can finally stop speculating and start talking about EverQuest Next! And if you're a sandbox fan, you're going to love it because when SOE declared last year that it was doing something really, truly different with EQ Next, it wasn't kidding. EQ Next is set in the realm of Norrath, but this is a rebooted version of those lands. Veteran players will find familiar places and names in the lore and setting, but they won't have a monopoly on the knowledge of this world; players new to the franchise can be equally comfortable because everyone is discovering this new world at the same time. On two separate occasions over the last few weeks, I got to sit down with Franchise Director Dave Georgeson to learn even more details about the game in preparation for today's SOE Live reveal. Want to see what all the fuss is about? Then join me for a tour through some of the key aspects and features of the upcoming sandbox. Continue reading SOE Live 2013: EverQuest Next explained SOE Live 2013: EverQuest Next explained originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Elder Scrolls Online's gameplay at QuakeCon [Updated] Posted: 02 Aug 2013 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, New Titles, Previews, PvE, Hands-On, Community Q&A, Livestream, The Elder Scrolls Online, MMORPG QuakeCon, hailed as the largest LAN party in North America, kicked off yesterday, and since MMO fans have been clamoring for some uninterrupted Elder Scrolls Online gameplay, ZeniMax chose QuakeCon as the venue to show off its latest addition to the Elder Scrolls franchise. Starting right now (at 1:30 p.m. EDT), Creative Director Paul Sage and other lead designers are livestreaming direct from Dallas, Texas. Our intrepid reporters are watching along, providing a periodic liveblog in this post as well as frequent chatter in our comments. Watch the stream and join the conversation right now! [Update: The stream is over now, but we've collected the important bits beyond the cut, and Larry's liveblog in the comments is still viewable!] Continue reading The Elder Scrolls Online's gameplay at QuakeCon [Updated] The Elder Scrolls Online's gameplay at QuakeCon [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MMObility: Zynga's Solstice Arena is a solid MOBA without a farm in sight Posted: 02 Aug 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Game Mechanics, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Mobile, Hands-On, Casual, MMObility, MOBA Let's say you're mucking around with your iPad and get the nagging feeling that you'd rather be owning other players in a game of strategical combat. What do you do? Well, one of the solutions is to pick up Zynga's new MOBA Solstice Arena and start hammering away. From what I can tell, the game really isn't showing us anything new and inventive, but it has taken the usual MOBA gameplay, toned it down, tightened it up, and made it a more satisfying mobile, fast-paced experience. I am no huge MOBA fan; I'll leave that up to the experts. But that's only because it's one of many genres that I haven't as much time for as I'd like. Solstice Arena has shown me that these jump-in games can be pretty cool, though your arm might get tired from holding up your iPad! Continue reading MMObility: Zynga's Solstice Arena is a solid MOBA without a farm in sight MMObility: Zynga's Solstice Arena is a solid MOBA without a farm in sight originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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