| Perfect World International's New Horizons expansion launches December 18th Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Perfect World International, Expansions, News Items, Free-to-Play Last month, Perfect World Entertainment unveiled the New Horizons expansion for Perfect World International and teased players with new screenshots of the upcoming content. Today, the studio announced that the expansion will hit servers on December 18th, so players will be able to experience the all-new Reawakening and War Avatar systems, new starting areas, zones, events, and more starting next week. Tony Liu, Product Manager at PWE, stated, "This is a massive refinement coming to PWI. With New Horizons, we're taking PWI to a new level of polish, bringing loads of new features, optimizing the experience, and continuing to provide one of the best free-to-play MMO experiences on the market." [Source: PWE press release]  Perfect World International's New Horizons expansion launches December 18th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Dec 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Ask Massively: New hires, HEX, and the problem with rogues Posted: 12 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Classes, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, Trading Card Games, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous, MMORPG The Massively staff is not made up of Rogues. It turns out that a curiously high percentage of us play Shamans, but that's neither here nor there. The point is today we have questions about Rogue classes in MMOs and the shiny new hires soon to be added to our roster, and there's no good way to smush these topics into a coherent introduction. I maintain that this is entirely your fault. Soldack asked, Do you cover the HEX TCG that is going to also have a full fledged MMO? And do you have any interest in hiring a writer/streamer to cover it? Yep, we do cover it as a sort of pseudo-MMO. We got our grubby paws all over it at this past E3 and after the Kickstarter was announced, and we keep track of it in our crowdfunding column as it continues to develop. But we have no plans to hire a new journalist to focus on it or other MMOTCGs/MMOCCGs (like Hearthstone) exclusively right now, nope. If that changes, rest assured that we'll be putting up a hiring notice! Continue reading Ask Massively: New hires, HEX, and the problem with rogues Ask Massively: New hires, HEX, and the problem with rogues originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Dec 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Think Tank: Do government spies scare you away from your favorite MMO? Posted: 12 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST |
| Massively previews WildStar's character creation, housing, Engineer, and Medic Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:01 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Classes, Game Mechanics, Previews, Opinion, Races, First Impressions, Events (Massively's Coverage), Subscription, MMORPG What do you get when you throw a bunch of Massively writers into the WildStar beta for a week and tell them they can roll a million characters, play the new classes, and muck around with floating houses in the sky? You get today's embargo-lift extravaganza, that's what, and a whole bunch of bunnygirls. Massively's Eliot Lefebvre, Justin Olivetti, and Gavin Townsley trekked to the planet Nexus and back to relate their deep-dive hands-on experience with the upcoming sci-fi MMO's character creation, Medic, and Engineer, as well as a take fresh look at the updated housing system. Enjoy our complete coverage! Massively previews WildStar's character creation, housing, Engineer, and Medic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Dec 2013 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Massively's hands-on with WildStar's character creation Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Classes, Opinion, Races, WildStar, Subscription, Buy-to-Play Character creators are a big deal to me. If I didn't have to make my characters quickly enough at launch to avoid losing my precious names, I would probably spend the better part of a month before clicking "create" the first time. So you know that the first thing I did when I sat down to play WildStar's recent press beta was to play around with the character creator. All right, that's the first thing everyone does: You have to make a character, but I was playing that to win, people. Character creation in MMOs usually falls short of what's offered in games like The Sims and Saints Row IV. At the low end you have games like Final Fantasy XI (pick a race, pick a face, pick a hair color, am I seriously done now?), and at the high end you've got Champions Online or the dearly departed City of Heroes. WildStar does not hit the high end, but it does do some things pretty nicely, even if it also misses some opportunities. Continue reading Massively's hands-on with WildStar's character creation Massively's hands-on with WildStar's character creation originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Dec 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Massively's hands-on with WildStar's Medic Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Classes, Game Mechanics, Previews, Opinion, WildStar, Subscription, Buy-to-Play My favorite classes in games are the ones that inspire spit-takes. The fact is that I don't really hate your bog-standard Warriors or Mages or whatever. But the classes that really get me interested are classes that demand that you explain what they do and how someone came up with that concept. Guild Wars has the Dervish, World of Warcraft has the Shaman, Final Fantasy XI has the Corsair -- they're flavorful, they're unique, and they're just plain neat. Combine that with my love of melee and WildStar's Medic had me from hello. I really like getting into the paint with things, I like the idea of a healer focused on getting up close and dancing, and I love the idea that medic balance between being doctors and technological shock troops. So jumping into the beta, I was happy to dive into the shoes of the doctor and start doing a whole lot of harm to anyone and everyone who opposed the Dominion. Continue reading Massively's hands-on with WildStar's Medic Massively's hands-on with WildStar's Medic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Dec 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Massively's hands-on with WildStar's housing system and new classes Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Classes, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, Previews, Opinion, Hands-On, Housing, Player-Generated Content, Subscription, MMORPG Call me a pacifist, but housing and healing are two of my favorite aspects to any MMO. Maybe it stems from a deep rooted desire for safety and comfort, or perhaps I'm just a real-life Hittori Hanzo: no longer interested in making instruments of death. Either way, WildStar's latest reveals have me excited. In the course of the most recent press beta, I scored some hands-on time with both new classes and glimpsed the newest changes to housing at a press event last week. The two new classes, Medic and Engineer, add variety to the healing and tanking game, while housing improvements turn homemaking into more than just a hobby. The upcoming MMO from Carbine Studios and NCsoft is turning out to be one rich frontier, ripe with potential for anyone looking for a new MMO home. Continue reading Massively's hands-on with WildStar's housing system and new classes Massively's hands-on with WildStar's housing system and new classes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Dec 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Massively's hands-on with WildStar's Engineer Posted: 12 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Classes, Previews, Hands-On, WildStar, Subscription It must have been serendipity that got me into the WildStar beta the week after the Engineer was announced (well, that or a PR push, but what are the odds?). As my friends, my family, and those who come within shouting distance of my voice know, I am always drawn to Engineers in video games. Whether the game be Team Fortress 2, Guild Wars 2, or Warhammer Online, if I have a big wrench, turrets, guns, pets, and/or lots of gadgets, I'm a pretty satisfied human being. WildStar's Engineer almost sounded too good to be true to me: a heavy armor-wearing ranged class that could DPS or tank while fielding combat robots. There might have been mention of a mech suit as well, but by that point I was twitching on the floor after suffering a happiness seizure. But would this perfect match on paper meet up to the cold, colorful reality when I got into the game? There was only one way to find out. Honey, take the kids out for the next two days, for I have space clobbering to do! Continue reading Massively's hands-on with WildStar's Engineer Massively's hands-on with WildStar's Engineer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Dec 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: What are you getting that MMO fan on your Christmas list? Posted: 12 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind If you're a Massively reader, there's a good chance that you have an MMO fan on your Christmas list. Other than yourself, hopefully. With that in mind, are you giving the gift of gaming this year? If so, what sorts of surprises does your giftee have waiting under the virtual tree? Game time? Cash shop goodies? Something else?  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 are you getting that MMO fan on your Christmas list? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Dec 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Stream Team: SWTOR raiding during the holidays Posted: 11 Dec 2013 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Endgame, PvE, Free-to-Play, Massively Meta, Hands-On, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team, MMORPG The holidays jumble up everyone's schedule. Sometimes making a raid is difficult, so it's important to remember that people raid for fun. In a game like Star Wars: The Old Republic, it's easy enough just to raid without the pressure to progress and be the best all the time. Join Massively's Larry Everett at 9:00 p.m. EST to find out how it's possible to raid without all the holiday stress. Game: Star Wars: The Old Republic Host: Larry Everett Date: Wednesday, December 11th, 2013 Time: 9:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: SWTOR raiding during the holidays The Stream Team: SWTOR raiding during the holidays originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Here's how RIFT's weather works Posted: 11 Dec 2013 05:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, RIFT, Dev Diaries, Housing Have you ever wondered about the weather systems in RIFT, and more specifically in Trion's much-loved dimension system? If you answered yes, senior systems designer and meta-dimensioneer Lisa " Faratha" Boleyn has a blog post for you. Boleyn explains how RIFT's weather is determined by where your character is standing, and consequently how this presented a problem when coupled with the fact that the game's raindrops and snowflakes "neither have nor respond to collision" due to performance considerations. The solution for dimensional weather, then, is something called weather-blockers, which will be "brought live as craftable items" in RIFT's 2.6 update. Click through the links below to read further details. Here's how RIFT's weather works originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| DC Universe Online's War of the Light DLC and Armories Posted: 11 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Super-hero, Screenshots, Video, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Patches, Previews, PvP, PvE, Free-to-Play, Consoles, DC Universe Online, Livestream If you are a follower of DC Universe Online, you know how the developers love to introduce world-changing DLCs for players to adventure in. Last time it was the Sons of Trigon, a massive adventure that threw players against the forces of Trigon, took players through a new zone, handed out a lot of new loot, and introduced a new power set called Celestial. We even played through some of the Trigon DLC with Jens Anderson, Creative Director. This time around the team is introducing several things that players have never seen before, starting with the Blue Lantern Corps, twin sentient planets Mogo and Ranx, and a new Red Light power called Rage. Coming up on top of the DLC will be Armories, displays that players can place in their lairs or hideouts not only to display favorite looks, but to allow players to switch between loadouts and looks on the fly, in the field! So, how will all of this work? Continue reading DC Universe Online's War of the Light DLC and Armories DC Universe Online's War of the Light DLC and Armories originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Stream Team: Healing heroics in World of Warcraft Posted: 11 Dec 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Video, PvE, Massively Meta, Hands-On, Livestream, The Stream Team, Subscription, MMORPG Massively's Mike Foster has finally hit level 90 in World of Warcraft, and thanks to some savvy viewers he also managed to secure a few epic items from the Timeless Isle. This means, of course, that it's time for him to rush blindly into healing heroic dungeons. Can his heals keep up with the damage his foes are dishing out, or will he be doomed to sit in the normal dungeon queue for the rest of eternity? Tune in at 7:00 p.m. EST to find out. Game: World of Warcraft Host: Mike Foster Date: Wednesday, December 11th, 2013 Time: 7:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Healing heroics in World of Warcraft The Stream Team: Healing heroics in World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Free for All: Two weeks on a private Infestation server Posted: 11 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Screenshots, Video, Bugs, Business Models, Game Mechanics, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Free for All, Post-Apocalyptic, Livestream, Sandbox, Buy-to-Play I remember when I first laid eyes on Infestation: Survivor Stories. It was GDC Online in 2012, and I did an interview with Alex Josef, Hammperpoint's Director of Communications. We made a quick trip to the press room, where he popped out a large gaming laptop to show me the game. I was really impressed with how simple its premise was: You're dropped in the middle of the wilderness, there are zombies all around, and you can starve to death. It felt great, as well, sporting realistic lighting effects and systems to simulate hunger, thirst, and sound. So much has happened since that first meeting. I am very, very aware of all of the drama concerning the developers -- the name changes, the patches, the community issues, and so on. I am not writing this to discuss that part of the story. My specific goal over the last couple of weeks was to see whether playing on a private, paid-for server would give me a different experience than Massively's Mike Foster's. During his time with the game at launch he was, to put it mildly, miserable. Continue reading Free for All: Two weeks on a private Infestation server Free for All: Two weeks on a private Infestation server originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MMO Family: Yes, video games are good for you Posted: 11 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Culture, MMO Industry, MMO Family, Family, Miscellaneous The good news continues to arrive for gamers. In the last MMO Family column, we looked at a decade-long British study that showed no connection between playing video games and mental health issues in children. And this week, the American Psychological Association published a report that goes even further, saying that playing video games has tangible benefits. Can video games really be good for you? Let's take a look in this week's MMO Family. Continue reading MMO Family: Yes, video games are good for you MMO Family: Yes, video games are good for you originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Layoffs at CCP's Atlanta office confirmed: World of Darkness development affected Posted: 11 Dec 2013 01:25 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, World of Darkness, Miscellaneous, Sandbox, MMORPG Rumours began circulating just a few hours ago about layoffs at CCP Games' Atlanta office. It was reported that an unknown number of staff working on the World of Darkness MMO had been unexpectedly laid off right before the Christmas holidays. The originally unconfirmed tipoff came from several posts on Twitter, and GameBreaker later reported that an anonymous source named the layoffs as Level Designers and various other Producers and Designers on World of Darkness. Massively reached CCP Games for comment and received the official statement below confirming that the layoffs are real and that they are from the World of Darkness team: "CCP today made strategic adjustments to the staffing on the team working on the World of Darkness project in Atlanta that resulted in the elimination of approximately 15 positions at the company. The change was due to our evaluation of the game's design and ongoing development needs. While this was a difficult decision, CCP remains committed to the franchise and our promise to make a compelling, rich, and deep World of Darkness experience." Layoffs at CCP's Atlanta office confirmed: World of Darkness development affected originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Leaderboard: How many same-genre MMOs can you play at once? Posted: 11 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, Opinion, Vanguard, Leaderboard I have a hankering for Vanguard. I don't know why, other than it's one of those MMOs that I've always enjoyed despite playing it rather infrequently. This hankering is problematic, though, because I'm already dabbling in Final Fantasy XIV, Lord of the Rings Online, and an offline RPG. All of these games have a fantasy bent, and when you couple that with the fact that there are only 24 hours in a day, I'm sure you can understand my dilemma. Failing some sort of uber-MMO that manages to combine all of the best features from each of these titles, I guess I'll just have to pick one for a primary game and glance longingly at the also-rans every now and again. What about you, Massively readers? How many same-genre MMOs can you play at the same time? Two? Three? None? Vote after the cut!  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: How many same-genre MMOs can you play at once? Leaderboard: How many same-genre MMOs can you play at once? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Drink in Defiance's Arkbreaker trailer Posted: 11 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, Patches, MMOFPS, Defiance, Buy-to-Play "Some wait for fortune," a new trailer for Defiance's Arkbreaker DLC states. "Breakers make their own." This trailer is a long, dark drink of action and heavy metal riffs, as Trion Worlds attempts to sell you on the spiffy new features coming to the game. Arkbreaker is currently out, and if the trailer gets you interested, you can read our in-depth interview with Defiance's devs for more info. Get an eyeful after the jump, Masta Breaka! Continue reading Drink in Defiance's Arkbreaker trailer Drink in Defiance's Arkbreaker trailer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Choose My Adventure: The weather outside is frightful Posted: 11 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Super-hero, Aion, Guild Wars, PvP, PvE, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Casual, MMOFPS, Champions Online, DC Universe Online, Choose My Adventure, Allods Online, Post-Apocalyptic, Miscellaneous, PlanetSide 2, Defiance, MMORPG, Buy-to-Play December is here, which means it's about time to throw some logs on the fire, grab every blanket in the house, and collapse under the mantle in a freezing, sobbing heap. This week's arctic blast has left the United States feeling a lot like Northrend, but for those of us in certain parts of the country it's just the beginning of what's sure to be a long, hellish winter. However cold it may be outside, there's always a warm, toasty inn waiting in our favorite games. MMOs also provide sunny vistas, hot deserts, and steamy swamps, all of which make great places to escape nasty real-life weather. Even when it's cold in an MMO, it's still warm at our desks. In this edition of Choose My Adventure, I'm depending on you to help me hide from the snow that's piling up outside of my window. You don't have to send me somewhere warm, but I'd appreciate it if you send me somewhere fun. Continue reading Choose My Adventure: The weather outside is frightful Choose My Adventure: The weather outside is frightful originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Lord of the Rings Online offers a two-week VIP bonus for subscriptions Posted: 11 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST |
| Aura Kingdom reveals guild towns, endgame Posted: 11 Dec 2013 09:30 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, Endgame, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play Aeria Games is sharing more information about Aura Kingdom's endgame as the fantasy free-to-play game inches closer to its Founders beta that starts on Monday, December 16th. High-level players who enjoy PvP can queue up for two different 5v5 experiences, either a battle to the death (available any time of day) or a capture point mode that utilizes vastly different terrain (available only at certain times). PvE-wise, players who want to collect the best battle companions, called Eidolons, will need to group up and raid the bosses in the high-level dungeons to collect rare key fragments. Additionally, guilds that level to a high enough rank can create their own towns that guild members can visit. Guild towns will spawn unique Eidolons that guild members must group up to defeat. Once defeated, those Eidolons can drop key fragments that, when combined, will allow players to summon that companion as his own. [Source: Aeria Games press release] Aura Kingdom reveals guild towns, endgame originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Dec 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Time to stock up on DRM-free games
Microsoft chief shares his secrets of the trade
Popular mid-tower now comes in three color options
Only extreme overclockers need apply
Not just a case maker anymore
