MMO Updates

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• CCP to reveal EVE expansion live on September 26th
• Leaderboard: What's your favorite FFXIV class or job?
• Sidescrolling MMO Excalibur available for download on Android devices
• Vindictus celebrates two years in Europe with wings
• The Daily Grind: Should MMO studios punish out-of-game behavior?
• Garriott fielding Shroud of the Avatar questions this Friday
• Jukebox Heroes: The Secret World's radio songs
• Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's Oricon daily adventures
• Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 2's dragon evolution
• EverQuest's Call of the Forsaken lands October 8th
• EverQuest Next devs punt the question of guns and ninjas
• Activision Blizzard files an emergency appeal for buyback rights
• Black Gold unveils the Kosh race
• The Soapbox: What's my motivation?

CCP to reveal EVE expansion live on September 26th Posted: 25 Sep 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Expansions, News Items, Livestream, Sandbox Have you ever wanted to be there when an expansion to your favorite game was announced? Well, EVE Online players can experience just that this Thursday, September 26th. CCP will be revealing the space sandbox's 20th free expansion at 4:00 p.m. EDT on the game's official Twitch channel. Before the big reveal, Senior Producer Andie Nordgren will recap the recent past and share the future vision of the game. Then the game designers will step in and reveal the winter expansion, going in-depth on many of its features and showing off concept art for the new ship designs. And of course, the devs will be in chat to answer questions and hang out with players. [Source: CCP press release] CCP to reveal EVE expansion live on September 26th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Sep 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Leaderboard: What's your favorite FFXIV class or job? Posted: 25 Sep 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Final Fantasy XIV, Leaderboard, Subscription Today's Leaderboard is about Final Fantasy XIV. More specifically, it's about your favorite class/job/collection of skills in FFXIV. Now that I've gone and spoiled the traditional end-of-the-post question, I've still got to come up with another one-and-a-half paragraphs before I invite all of you fine folk to vote after the cut. Or not. Because I've got a lot of fishing to do. Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard! Continue reading Leaderboard: What's your favorite FFXIV class or job? Leaderboard: What's your favorite FFXIV class or job? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Sep 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sidescrolling MMO Excalibur available for download on Android devices Posted: 25 Sep 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Mobile Have you recently found yourself playing a fantasy MMO while thinking that it would be better as a sidescrolling brawler on your Android device? Really? Because that's kind of specific. But, as it turns out, you are in luck. Excalibur has opened the beta gates to Android players, allowing anyone who wants to kill and loot in a sidescrolling environment a chance to do just that. The game is also aiming at an iOS release in October. Regardless of what images the terms "sidescrolling free-to-play fantasy brawler" might conjure in your head, the team at R2Games and Elex emphasize that the game features more than simply action combat. Players choose between three classes and can take part in both group and solo content, join guilds, and engage in PvP. It might be just the thing for anyone looking for a bit of a break from the norm on the go. Sidescrolling MMO Excalibur available for download on Android devices originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Sep 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Open beta on Android

Vindictus celebrates two years in Europe with wings Posted: 25 Sep 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, News Items, Free-to-Play, Vindictus, Promotions, Anniversaries It's not always easy for a game to make it to the second year of operation, but Vindictus has done just that in the European region. To celebrate, EU players are being given wings. Some of them, anyway. The rest are just going to have to purchase them. Here's how it works. When players are logged in at 6:00 p.m. GMT (1:00 p.m. EDT) between today and September 27th, they have a chance to receive the second anniversary gift box which contains a free set of Phoenix Wings. Players not logged in on at that time can purchase the wings directly for 35,000 NX during the limited sales windows: 4:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m. GMT (11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EDT), September 28th until October 3rd. Players who are uninterested in chasing wings can also take part in the new Siege Mode PvP matches by speaking to the Battlemaster in Rocheste. So everyone gets something for the second year. Vindictus celebrates two years in Europe with wings originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Sep 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Phoenix Wings sale windows, Phoenix Wings giveaway

The Daily Grind: Should MMO studios punish out-of-game behavior? Posted: 25 Sep 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Recently we reported on an interview in which SOE's Linda Carlson said that the studio is not above monitoring player behavior outside of the game and taking steps to punish or ban that player if they're being a bully or a troll. This in turn sparked a lot of discussion over whether that's a good move or not for SOE, but today I'd like to take the discussion beyond that particular studio to address it in general. Is it a good idea for MMO studios to pay attention to player behavior outside of the games and take action on that? Does this -- or the threat of it, at least -- foster accountability and community growth, or usher in a weird digital police state where kobolds might come and arrest you and your family for a Twitter expletive? We're sure you have an opinion on it, so let 'er rip! 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 MMO studios punish out-of-game behavior? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Sep 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Garriott fielding Shroud of the Avatar questions this Friday Posted: 24 Sep 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Community Q&A, Sandbox, Shroud of the Avatar, Buy-to-Play If you're free at 3:00 p.m. EDT on September 27th and you're a fan of Shroud of the Avatar, why not stop by the game's latest Hangout of the Avatar broadcast. A quick blurb on the game's official site has all the details, including bits about the 30-minute running time and the VIRTUE-related question-and-answer format. Richard Garriott will field pre-submitted questions during the broadcast. If you've got something to ask, send it via Google Hangout at #LBSotA_Hangout or via the comment section of the announcement post. Garriott fielding Shroud of the Avatar questions this Friday originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Sep 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Jukebox Heroes: The Secret World's radio songs Posted: 24 Sep 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi, Opinion, The Secret World, Jukebox Heroes, Music, Buy-to-Play With its contemporary setting, The Secret World has the opportunity to include not only an original score but regular songs as well. Funcom's handled this by broadcasting rock, techno, and other genre tunes over the many in-game radios, much as how Grand Theft Auto fans can tune into different stations to hear a wide variety of tracks. Not so long ago, the studio even held a contest for fans and artists to submit additional tunes to be included in the game, ending up with 11 new tracks that you might hear while clothes shopping, hanging out at a club, or perusing records at a store. Some are pretty darn good, too. So let's dispense with the traditional format of this column today and take a listen to what Radio TSW has to offer us. Alas, there will be no "Thriller." We checked. Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: The Secret World's radio songs Jukebox Heroes: The Secret World's radio songs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Sep 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's Oricon daily adventures Posted: 24 Sep 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Patches, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon, MMORPG If you missed last week's overview of the Oricon storyline and the history leading up to it, then check that out because today we are going to continue on that same theme. I have played through the content on the new daily area of Oricon set to release on October 1st, and I am surprisingly impressed with the storyline. The writing team for Star Wars: The Old Republic has yet to fall short. Despite the smaller production team and the number of people who claim that the game didn't live up to their expectations, BioWare continues to deliver a wonderful and compelling story. And if that is what you're looking for in your MMORPG, then SWTOR is still your game. However, many MMO gamers aren't looking for story, specifically. These gamers want to hear about the mechanics. I can appreciate that. Once the story becomes tired, the mechanics of a questline are going to be what holds a player to the game. How does the new questlines on Oricon stack up? That's a good question. I'd usually judge quests on the environment, challenge, flow, and overall immersion. But since these quests are supposed to be done on a regular basis (thus the name dailies), that means there has to be a repeatability factor. Let's examine these categories. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's Oricon daily adventures Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's Oricon daily adventures originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Sep 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 2's dragon evolution Posted: 24 Sep 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Endgame, PvE, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles, Buy-to-Play I'm praying to Grenth -- not just because he's lord of the dead and my human Necromancer's supreme master but because being in Sparkfly Fen during a Tequatl-stomping session has been threatening to down my usually robust computer and I'm hoping Grenth will take mercy on it. That, or I could just upgrade it. Every little bit helps, though. I've spent most of this past week finishing up the move to a new apartment, but I've still made time to throw myself at Guild Wars 2's buffed-up Tequatl the Sunless fight. I was pleasantly surprised by the encounter and the community's reception of it, and it's definitely given me hope that ArenaNet will be able to add more complex and fun fights of this kind to GW2's open world in the future. Tequatl is like the star of a teen movie, turning every head at the prom after a radical makeover. I know you needed that mental image. You're welcome. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 2's dragon evolution Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 2's dragon evolution originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Sep 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EverQuest's Call of the Forsaken lands October 8th Posted: 24 Sep 2013 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Expansions, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, MMORPG Call of the Forsaken, the next expansion for the original EverQuest, has been humming along in beta since August 14th. While the original launch window of late September seems to have been a miss for SOE, EQ fans won't be waiting too much longer. According to today's update in the EQ forums, Call of the Forsaken is now set for an October 8th launch. Call of the Forsaken brings new zones to explore, Heroic Adventures, and customization for Mercenaries. Folks who pre-order the expansion before October 7th will receive an exclusive piece of Mercenary armor along with a 32-slot bag, a Tirun house pet/familiar, and other special in-game goodies. There's still a chance to get in on the beta; SOE is continuing to flag accounts daily. EverQuest's Call of the Forsaken lands October 8th originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Sep 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Call of the Forsaken Update

EverQuest Next devs punt the question of guns and ninjas Posted: 24 Sep 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next, Dev Diaries, Sandbox Should "modern" concepts like guns and ninjas be included in EverQuest Next? At the risk of editorializing, we think guns and ninjas should be in every MMO, even the pacifistic ones. SOE took the question to the community, which was divided on the answer, and the studio tackled the topic internally as well... ending up with the team divided in a similar fashion. In a new roundtable video, the devs talk about the pros and cons of including a fantasy twist of these familiar concepts in Norrath. The main concern the team had for anything being put into EQN was that it pass through a lore filter to make sure that it wasn't going to be out of place. The devs aren't committing to a "yes" or "no" on these concepts wholesale but will be examining them on a case-by-case basis to see if there's a precedent -- and to keep their options open for now. You can check out the full discussion after the break. Don't forget to check out our EQN roundtable wrap-up while you're at it! Continue reading EverQuest Next devs punt the question of guns and ninjas EverQuest Next devs punt the question of guns and ninjas originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Sep 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Guns and ninjas round table

Activision Blizzard files an emergency appeal for buyback rights Posted: 24 Sep 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, Legal, Miscellaneous It seems that Activision Blizzard just can't wait to get free of Vivendi. Not that the company is eager, but it literally cannot wait. The publisher had planned to essentially buy itself from its parent company, but following objections raised by a stockholder, the deal was put on hold by court order. Now the company has filed an emergency appeal, claiming that if the deal doesn't go through now, the company will have lost its window for self-ownership. According to the appeal, it will not be possible to obtain a shareholder vote before October 15th, which is when the deal automatically terminates. This vote by non-Vivendi shareholders is a necessity for the deal to go through, and Activision Blizzard representatives state that this injunction leaves the company in limbo and jeopardizes an $8 billion exchange. The court has scheduled a hearing for October 10th -- a hearing that looks to either make or break the deal as a whole. Activision Blizzard files an emergency appeal for buyback rights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Sep 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Wall Street Journal Via: Polygon, The Escapist

Black Gold unveils the Kosh race Posted: 24 Sep 2013 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Classes, Lore, News Items, Free-to-Play, Races, Sandbox, Black Gold The races of Black Gold are getting plenty of attention from Snail Games recently, with three of the races already unveiled. Today marks the fourth race reveal with a video and an article dedicated to the felinoid Kosh, direct descendents of the Sun God (according to their own propaganda, anyway). These former conquerors have joined the Erlandir Union to help defend the eponymous Black Gold, which they consider holy and unsuitable for use in technology. Kosh characters can be Demon Hunters, Elementalists, or Alchemists, all aligned with the race's rather mystical and contemplative nature. As a whole they're known to be serious and aloof, filling the game's need for something of an elven race without ever actually hitting the "elf" stereotype. But you don't have to take our word for it; you can take a look at the reveal trailer past the break, or read the full lore article for a bit more history. Continue reading Black Gold unveils the Kosh race Black Gold unveils the Kosh race originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Sep 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Children of the Sun: The Kosh

The Soapbox: What's my motivation? Posted: 24 Sep 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Post-Apocalyptic, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous, MMORPG, Buy-to-Play If you play MMOs, odds are good that you're familiar with the classic "kill ten rats" quest trope. Kill quests are one of the most fundamental elements of traditional MMORPG design, and a great deal of modern and classic MMOs would have little to no content without them. Whether it's ten rats, ten wolves, ten bandits, or ten dragons, the basic gist of the quest is always the same: You, the seasoned adventurer, must eliminate animals or enemies for an NPC who for one reason or another cannot handle the task himself. MMOs are built on combat. It's difficult to design a full-featured MMO that engages players for years on end without some sort of PvE killing content; only a handful of MMOs have even attempted it. And while some would say the days of the kill quest are coming to an end, modern MMOs certainly aren't cutting back on killing in general. As a primary mechanic for advancing a character, slaying seems to be the most popular design choice. I don't have a problem with the bulk of my progression coming from throwing fireballs or bashing shields. I don't mind obliterating monsters in multiples of five. What I do mind, however, is being asked to kill without a good reason. Continue reading The Soapbox: What's my motivation? The Soapbox: What's my motivation? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Sep 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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MMORPG News

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• Destiny: Design Director Abruptly Leaves Bungie
• EverQuest Next: Build It and Fight In It
• EverQuest: Call of the Forsaken Delayed Slightly
• World of Warcraft: What's Next For World of Warcraft?
• General: Racial Trait
• Elder Scrolls Online: Bringing In The Non-MMO Gamer

Destiny: Design Director Abruptly Leaves Bungie Posted: 23 Sep 2013 06:21 PM PDT Bungie's long time employee and Destiny Design Director Joseph Staten has abruptly left the company. Staten had been employed by Bungie for over 15 years and his farewell note on the official site gives no real hint at his reasons other than wanting to "explore new creative challenges".

EverQuest Next: Build It and Fight In It Posted: 23 Sep 2013 05:05 PM PDT Dave Georgeson, Director of Development on EverQuest Next, sent out a Tweet indicating that players will not only be able to build custom worlds in EverQuest Next: Landmark, but also will be able to fight in it!

EverQuest: Call of the Forsaken Delayed Slightly Posted: 23 Sep 2013 05:00 PM PDT The latest EverQuest expansion, Call of the Forsaken, has been delayed until October 8th. No specific reason is given but the assumption is that the expansion, introducing the mercenary system, needs a bit more time for polish.

World of Warcraft: What's Next For World of Warcraft? Posted: 22 Sep 2013 05:08 PM PDT With WoW's first decade nearly complete, we begin to speculate what will come next for the fading champion of the MMO space. In today's Free Zone, we opine about a few things we think could happen. See what we think before letting us know your own thoughts in the comments.

General: Racial Trait Posted: 23 Sep 2013 04:40 PM PDT In our weekly comic, artist Blaz Klaric brings us his irreverent look into the foibles of the MMO worlds we love, and love to hate. Check out "Racial Trait" and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

Elder Scrolls Online: Bringing In The Non-MMO Gamer Posted: 23 Sep 2013 12:53 PM PDT We here at MMORPG might be what you call an MMO studio's "target audience". We're the folks who keep games going for years after launch. But we're not the only gamers out there for big IP titles like Elder Scrolls Online. In today's column, we're exploring some of the reasons why Zenimax Online Studios' game might just pull in more than the usual MMO gamers.

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