MMO Updates

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• Massively's Third Annual Frindie Awards
• World of Warcraft survey asks, 'How much would you pay?'
• MMO Mechanics: Kill 10 rats can be fun!
• Leaderboard: What was the best year for MMOs?
• The Daily Grind: Are you a creature of habit?
• The Stream Team: Send off 2013 with a clean sweep of High Keep in EQII
• Jukebox Heroes: Reader request 3
• The Soapbox: My MMO resolutions
• Hyperspace Beacon: The rest of SWTOR's year-end report

Massively's Third Annual Frindie Awards Posted: 01 Jan 2014 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Game Mechanics, Ryzom, Wurm Online, Opinion, Second Life, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, Virtual Worlds, MMORTS, Free for All, Miscellaneous, Sandbox It's time once again for me to throw out my awards for the best of free-to-play, indie, and oddball MMOs, a real niche-within-a-niche. It might seem that I am assigned many of these titles as though I were some modern day Mikey, but the truth is that I get a huge thrill out of finding a new game but get even more of a thrill when I realize that no one is covering it. I had to really think hard about the criteria for the awards this year, mainly because "indie" is quickly becoming one of those often hard-to-define words, alongside "MMORPG" and "free-to-play." Fortunately, I think I know it when I see it. I kept my choices to games that I have actually played this year. I wanted to avoid games that appear to be really cool. If you want a more broad batch of prizes, check out Massively's best of awards. (Side note: I voted for Defiance as my game of the year.) These awards are for games that are being created on a shoestring or independent of massive budgets. Some of them are connected to some money, of course, but instead of trying to define "indie," I will only repeat: You'll know it when you see it. Continue reading Massively's Third Annual Frindie Awards Massively's Third Annual Frindie Awards originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jan 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

World of Warcraft survey asks, 'How much would you pay?' Posted: 01 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Expansions, MMO Industry, Subscription There's a new survey floating around from Blizzard that's polling World of Warcraft players about how much they might be willing to pay for various features in the game. Among the topics covered is a new annual pass program, whether the Warlords of Draenor expansion should be sold for $39 or $49, and how much players might pay for a character upgrade to level 90. One such upgrade will be included in the upcoming expansion, but this survey strongly hints that Blizzard is looking to monetize the feature as well. Out of curiosity, how much would you pay for these features and what would you like to see included in an annual pass program? World of Warcraft survey asks, 'How much would you pay?' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jan 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Polygon

MMO Mechanics: Kill 10 rats can be fun! Posted: 01 Jan 2014 07:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, EverQuest II, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvE, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, MMORPG, MMO Mechanics Quests are increasingly an MMO enthusiast's bread and butter, often becoming the staple component of a game's typical serving of progressive content. Over the years, developers have tried to serve up this familiar progression mechanic in many different ways: The modern themepark MMO makes us fetch, carry, explore, and investigate our way to the endgame through countless quest types and story arcs. Among the varieties of quest on offer, kill quests seem to cause the most tears and tantrums amongst picky players. No matter what developers do, there just isn't much love for missions that send characters off with a shopping list of mundane creatures to crush. Kill quests have become so common that plenty of MMOs have cheekily referenced the "10 rats" trope by literally making us smash in some rodent skulls, but killing cute, twitchy-nosed creatures is not the real problem. It's the uninspired kill list mechanic that often incites complaints of developer laziness, an argument that I don't think is justified. Kill quests exist to hone your skills through repetition, but they don't have to feel like an arduous grinding task and are actually a very useful mechanic for game designers. In this week's MMO Mechanics, I stand up for the unloved stepchild of questing; I'll show you that killing a list of creatures can be both contextually engaging and mechanistically interesting, depending on how it's presented. Continue reading MMO Mechanics: Kill 10 rats can be fun! MMO Mechanics: Kill 10 rats can be fun! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jan 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Leaderboard: What was the best year for MMOs? Posted: 01 Jan 2014 06:00 AM PST Filed under: MMO Industry, Opinion, Leaderboard So, it's like, 2014. Happy New Year or something. Let's take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the MMO genre's more notable years. Maybe you're partial to 1999, since it gave us Asheron's Call and EverQuest. How about 2001, which introduced Anarchy Online, World War II Online (now known as Battleground: Europe), and Dark Age of Camelot? Don't forget 2003, which featured the launches of Star Wars: Galaxies, EVE Online, PlanetSide, Shadowbane, and A Tale in the Desert, just to name a few. Oh, OK, we probably shouldn't forget 2004 either, since it brought us World of Warcraft, EverQuest II, and City of Heroes. My point is, there are plenty of choices when it comes to picking great MMO years. What about the best year in terms of MMO launches, though? 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: What was the best year for MMOs? Leaderboard: What was the best year for MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jan 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Are you a creature of habit? Posted: 01 Jan 2014 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Races, Miscellaneous To some extent, I think that most of us are creatures of habit when it comes to our lives and our gaming. We go through an experimental phase, we learn over time what works for us, and then we settle down into a comfortable routine from then on. There's a reason why adults tend to stick with the same haircut after age 28, kids. Speaking for myself, I definitely have my comfort zones in MMOs. I prefer theme parks over sandboxes, I like hybrid and pet classes most of all, I almost always go with a short race if given the option, and I am quite happy soloing most of the time. But lately I've been trying to challenge myself to try new things, to go through a new experimental phase, and see what I might be missing. I'm giving myself permission to break the habits and enjoy new flavors and new vistas. I'm curious today if there are any others out there that recognize the comfortable routines and choices they've established, and if, like me, you've decided to venture outside of the bubble to lands you've long rejected. 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: Are you a creature of habit? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jan 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Send off 2013 with a clean sweep of High Keep in EQII Posted: 31 Dec 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest II, Free-to-Play, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team Before the new year settles in, there's one thing Massively's MJ has to do -- give EverQuest II's High Keep a good scrubbing! Those goblins have really made such a mess of the place, and who wants to start the new year tripping over dishes, giant pigs, and dead bodies? The party starts at 7:00 p.m., so join us and say goodbye to 2013 in true EverQuest Two-sday style! Game: EverQuest II Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Tuesday, December 31st, 2013 Time: 7:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Send off 2013 with a clean sweep of High Keep in EQII The Stream Team: Send off 2013 with a clean sweep of High Keep in EQII originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Dec 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Jukebox Heroes: Reader request 3 Posted: 31 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Aion, Final Fantasy XI, Lord of the Rings Online, Culture, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, RuneScape, Miscellaneous, Jukebox Heroes, Music Since it's our very last Jukebox Heroes column of the year on the very last day of the year, I thought it would be most appropriate to open up the reader request lines once again and feature MMO tunes that are your favorites. If you'd like to put in your own request for the next time I run one of these columns, please list your favorite MMO music track in the comments along with an explanation as to what you love about it! So check out what your fellow soundtrackophiles appreciate and stay tuned for a totally rockin' 2014! Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Reader request 3 Jukebox Heroes: Reader request 3 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Dec 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Soapbox: My MMO resolutions Posted: 31 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Launches, MMO Industry, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Consoles, EverQuest Next, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous, WildStar, The Elder Scrolls Online, Destiny, Star Citizen, MMORPG, Buy-to-Play Today is the last day of 2013, a long year of extended betas, early access pre-purchases, and soft launch nonsense. The release slate for 2014, however, brings slightly more excitement. 2014 is the year we'll (hopefully) first set foot into Elder Scrolls Online, EverQuest Next Landmark, Destiny, Star Citizen, WildStar, and more. It's the year in which a record number of MMOs will go live on consoles. And most importantly, it's likely the year in which consumers will decide whether the traditional MMO is dead or just in need of a good kick in the pants. Ordinarily I'm not the type to make New Year's resolutions. It seems arbitrary to hang important life changes on a date on the calendar. But the end of the year does bring a nice opportunity to look back on my gaming habits over the last 12 months and provides me with an opportunity to draft a list of things I'd like to do better moving forward. 2014 will be an MMO year like no other, so perhaps it warrants a few adjustments in behavior. With that in mind, these are my 2014 MMO resolutions. Continue reading The Soapbox: My MMO resolutions The Soapbox: My MMO resolutions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hyperspace Beacon: The rest of SWTOR's year-end report Posted: 31 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, Expansions, Patches, Endgame, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon, MMORPG The end of the year is nigh, and as I promised, I will give you my final thoughts on Star Wars: The Old Republic and its achievements for 2013. I wanted my assessment to be based on something other than squishy feelings. Of course, opinions are extremely subjective, but that doesn't mean they cannot be based on something a bit more substantial. In July, I created a mid-term report card for SWTOR using Dr. Richard Battle's studies as the starting point. Bartle's study allowed me to step out of my normal playstyle and observe the game from the standpoint of different types of MMO players. Some players find discovery and exploration to be the most important part of an MMO. Others want to achieve the highest scores or defeat the biggest bosses. Some want to prove that they are better than other players in direct combat, and yet other players want to use the game as an interactive chatroom or work with a group to achieve a goal. Few people fall neatly into one category or other, but nearly everyone will have a dominant motivation. A couple of weeks ago, I graded the game based on the perspective of Bartle's Killer type, giving SWTOR a C- in the category. Because of Galactic Starfighter and 4v4 arenas, I raised the grade from the F I gave it during the mid-term report. I gave the game an A- for Achievers, B for Explorers, and C for the Socializer earlier this year. Has SWTOR been able to raise its grade in these other categories? Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: The rest of SWTOR's year-end report Hyperspace Beacon: The rest of SWTOR's year-end report originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Dec 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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• General: A Few Wishes For 2014
• General: McQuaid Makes Us Wonder: Who Is that Burly Man?
• Elder Scrolls Online: Three Ingredients for Late Nights in ESO
• General: The Most Wanted MMOs of 2014

General: A Few Wishes For 2014 Posted: 30 Dec 2013 01:43 PM PST With 2014 a few short hours away, it's time for our annual speculation about the coming year. The Free Zone today looks ahead at 2014 and offers a few thoughts about what we'd like to see. Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments.

General: McQuaid Makes Us Wonder: Who Is that Burly Man? Posted: 31 Dec 2013 09:53 AM PST Brad McQuaid is gearing up for January's revelation of the new game he is working on. To get fans in a frothy frenzy, McQuaid has released a piece of artwork of a burly blue-eyed man. Any thoughts?

Elder Scrolls Online: Three Ingredients for Late Nights in ESO Posted: 30 Dec 2013 01:33 PM PST Depth is an element of MMOs that players need to feel immersed and involved in their game of choice. In our latest Elder Scrolls Online column, we take a look at depth in Zenimax' game and much more. Read on!

General: The Most Wanted MMOs of 2014 Posted: 30 Dec 2013 07:15 AM PST In this week's List, we're doing the obvious... ranking our staff's top ten Most Wanted MMOs of 2014. The new year is just a day away, so it's time we took stock of the ten games, expansions, and so forth we're most looking forward to in the next twelve months. So tarry no more, read on, and dig our list of the Most Wanted MMOs for 2014.

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General Gaming Article

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• Steam Removes a Defunct Game From User Libraries
• Netflix Tests $6.99 Standard Definition Single Screen Plan
• NSA Reportedly Hijacks PCs to Install Spyware, Has Backdoor Access to iPhones
• AMD Delays Battlefield 4 Mantle Patch Until January
• Newegg Daily Deals: Thermaltake Tough Power 750W PSU, Intel Core i3 3240, and More!

Steam Removes a Defunct Game From User Libraries Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:42 PM PST This is an apparent first for Steam We (along with several other news outlets) missed this when it first happened, but apparently Valve did something back in September that it has never done before. After shutting down the multiplayer servers for Square Enix's Order of War: Challenge due to low traffic, Valve then went and yanked the game from user libraries on Steam of those who had purchased a copy. To the best of our knowledge, it's the first and only time Valve has done such a thing. That's not to say Valve has never removed a game from Steam's store front, but in cases in which it has, purchased copies have always remained in user libraries. In this case, however, by shutting down multiplayer servers, users were left with no way to play the game. Forbes, which picked up on the story courtesy of a Reddit post, notes that the game has 18 single-player campaigns to play through, but since Square Enix implemented an always-on DRM scheme and than abandoned the title, even that portion of the game remained unplayable. Order of War: Challenge was never hugely popular to begin with, but still managed to spark a debate over whether or not Steam should have removed the title altogether. If nothing else, it's a reminder that you don't actually own games purchased through Steam -- you're granted a license to use them, and nothing more. "The game was multiplayer only and the developer is now no longer hosting servers. However user's are complaining that it was removed because they were still able to play the game using tunneling software, such as Hamachi etc., in order to create online LAN-like environments. Now this is no longer possible, since they instead just removed the game entirely," Reddit user 'tsstssk' points out. As 2013 comes to a close, let that be a reminder that we still live in a DRM-ruled world where it's anything but cut and dry. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Netflix Tests $6.99 Standard Definition Single Screen Plan Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:45 PM PST A money saving plan for bachelors Some users who sign up for Netflix will see a new $6.99 per month plan that limits streaming to one screen at a time. That's a dollar off the regular subscription fee of $7.99 per month, which Netflix now states will allow streaming on up to two screens at a time. Yet a third option is to pay $11.99 per month for the ability to watch streaming content on as many as four screens at the same time, a tier that could come in handy for families. Reports around the web say Netflix is testing the discounted $6.99 plan to select users. In addition to limiting streams to a single device at any given moment, users who opt for the entry-level subscription will also be limited to standard definition (SD) streams. Both the $7.99 and $11.99 plans include high definition (HD) viewing. The SD limitation will be a deal killer for some, though at the same time, it might attract users who plan to only watch Netflix on smartphones and even tablets with lower resolution displays. For those users, it's not a bad option. According to Variety, Netflix is also testing a $9.99 monthly option that would allow for up to three HD streams at the same time, though we didn't see that option when registering for a new account. Netflix says not everyone will see every option it's testing, and that some of these plans "may not be something we ever offer generally." Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

NSA Reportedly Hijacks PCs to Install Spyware, Has Backdoor Access to iPhones Posted: 31 Dec 2013 08:39 AM PST Nothing is out of bounds By far the biggest revelation of 2013 was that of the U.S. government's overreaching National Security Agency (NSA) and its PRISM surveillance program. Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the government's ability to spy on various forms of communication by leaking several documents to the press, and since doing so, new information keeps coming out. One of the most recent reports claims the NSA routinely intercepts computer deliveries in order to exploit vulnerabilities to aid with spying. Citing a German magazine, The Washington Post reports that a division of the NSA known as Tailored Access Operations (TAO) specializing in intercepting data from tough targets, or "getting the ungettable." TAO has access to all kinds of goods to help do that, such as computer monitor cables designed to record what's being typed across the screen, fake base stations that intercept mobile phone signals, and the list goes on. Planting these items sometimes involves intercepting computer pacakges, according to the report. In addition, TAO also installs spyware in order to track and spy on specific targets. According to one document, intercepting computer equipment ranks as one of the NSA's "most productive operations." A related report in The Daily Dot that cites the same German magazine says the NSA can also snoop on almost every communication sent from an iPhone. According to the report, leaked documents reveal the NSA plants spyware on iOS devices with a 100 percent success rate. It's part of a program called DROPOUTJEEP and it allows the NSA to read SMS messages, access contact lists, locate a phone using cell tower data, and activate the device's microphone and camera. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

AMD Delays Battlefield 4 Mantle Patch Until January Posted: 31 Dec 2013 07:10 AM PST A Mantle patch is coming, but bug stomping takes top priority AMD anticipated Battlefield 4 (BF4) being the first PC title to support its new Mantle API via a patch that was supposed to be made available before the end of the month. As it stands, BF4 will still be the first Mantle-optimized title, but the promised patch won't debut until sometime next month. Word from those in the trenches is that fixing various bugs in BF4 is taking a bit longer than expected. "After much consideration, the decision was made to delay the Mantle patch for Battlefield 4," EA told SemiAccurate. "AMD continues to support DICE on the public introduction of Mantle, and we are tremendously excited about the coming release for Battlefield 4! We are now targeting a January release and will have more information to share in the New Year." Mantle is expected to improve the look and performance of BF4, though EA wants to ensure a stable game experience before tacking on new stuff. AMD confirmed this was the case in a statement provided to Polygon, telling the gaming news site, "The cause of the delay is due to EA's recent decision to halt game development in favor of bug stomping." AMD's confirmation echoes a statement EA made to the press a month ago in which the publisher said it would not take on additional projects or expansions "until we sort out all the issues with Battlefield 4." Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: Thermaltake Tough Power 750W PSU, Intel Core i3 3240, and More! Posted: 31 Dec 2013 06:16 AM PST Top Deal: We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that generic 350W power supply that came with your case is probably going to run out of gas (figuratively -- don't pour gas in your PC) trying to run your dream machine configuration. You're going to need something beefier and more efficient to power a high-end system. But like we said, we don't enjoy delivering bad news, so the good news is that today's top deal is for a Thermaltake Tough Power TP-750P 750W Power Supply for $70 with free shipping (normally $150; additional $10 mail-in-rebate). This PSU delivers 60A across a the +12V rail, is SLI and Crossfire ready, and 80 Plus Gold certified. Other Deals: Intel Core i3-3240 Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz LGA 1155 55W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2500 BX80637i33240 for $110 with free shipping (normally $120; use coupon code: [EMCWVVN24]) Western Digital WD Green WD10EZRX 1TB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive - OEM for $60 with free shipping (normally $70; use coupon code: [EMCWVVN25]) G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-17000CL11D-8GBSR for $74 with free shipping (normally $82; use coupon code: [EMCWVVN28]) Asus VN248H-P Super Narrow Bezel Black 23.8-inch 5ms (GTG) HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor IPS 80,000,000:1 Built-in Speakers for $180 (normally $230; use coupon code: [EMCWVVN42]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate)

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MMO Updates

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• Bridging the gap between casual and pro at the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open
• McQuaid tweets teaser pic for his mystery MMO
• The Daily Grind: What are your gaming resolutions for 2014?
• Not So Massively: Diablo III's Nephalem Rifts, PoE season six, and Firefall's ex-CEO comes under fire
• The Stream Team: Exploring the wilds of Allods Online
• Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review
• The Stream Team: Playing Istaria with dev team members
• Lunia goes offline on January 1st
• Chaos Theory: Cramming your Krampus in before TSW's holidays end
• Designing Star Citizen's MISC Freelancer

Bridging the gap between casual and pro at the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open Posted: 31 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Events (Real-World), Interviews, MMO Industry, PvP, Free-to-Play, Massively Meta, Events (Massively's Coverage), Miscellaneous, MOBA At Ignite Gaming Lounge in Chicago, Illinois, the crowd is losing its mind. It's grand finals of the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open, a two-day, double-elimination, 16-team throwdown, and for some reason someone has just picked Meepo. For those of you who aren't in the Dota 2 loop, suffice to say that Meepo isn't a standard hero pick for a tournament. Picking Meepo in a match with $1,000 on the line is a lot like jumping out of a plane and wishing for a parachute -- an incredible, amazing story if it works and an embarrassing, painful death if it doesn't, with the odds heavily on the latter. The announcers, broadcasting the match simultaneously on Dota TV (Dota 2's in-game spectating client) and Twitch, are dumbfounded. The chat channels are exploding. And as everyone witnesses the Meepo gamble pay off in the most incredible way, the excitement only expands and intensifies. But perhaps what's most special about this Meepo pick, about this final game between two local teams that have bested challenger after challenger, is not the risky strategy or the money on the line. What's special is that anyone is watching it at all. Continue reading Bridging the gap between casual and pro at the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open Bridging the gap between casual and pro at the Chicago Dota 2 Winter Open originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Dec 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

McQuaid tweets teaser pic for his mystery MMO Posted: 31 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, Miscellaneous, Crowdfunding Back in September, Brad McQuaid let fans know he was working on a secret MMO, but has remained pretty tight-lipped about things since then. Now, McQuaid has taken to Twitter to tease interested fans with a tiny morsel: a beefy armored man with a broadsword (that's quite true to its name) sitting on an elaborate horned throne. Astute observers may question the significance of the solid blue eyes, which are reminiscent of a certain classic sci-fi story. More details will be available once this mystery MMO's Kickstarter is launched sometime in January. Until then, check out the full image of this imposing figure below. [Thanks to BabaGraPL for the tip!] Continue reading McQuaid tweets teaser pic for his mystery MMO McQuaid tweets teaser pic for his mystery MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Dec 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments McQuaid tweet

The Daily Grind: What are your gaming resolutions for 2014? Posted: 31 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Finally, 2013 is almost over. It feels like it went on for, like, a dozen months. And that means we all have a chance to look back at the past year, assess what we've done, and ask ourselves how we can make the next year even better. At least in terms of gaming; we can't really help you on the usual string of resolutions meant to make you a better person that wind up discarded by 8:00 p.m. on January 2nd. Maybe you spent most of 2013 hopping through games and want to settle down more firmly this year. Maybe you want 2014 to be the year that you finally give World of Warcraft or EVE Online a decent shot at catching your interest. Heck, maybe your major resolution is figuring out how you're going to balance four or five different games at the same time. So what are your gaming resolutions for 2014? 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 your gaming resolutions for 2014? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Dec 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Not So Massively: Diablo III's Nephalem Rifts, PoE season six, and Firefall's ex-CEO comes under fire Posted: 30 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, Culture, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, PvE, Casual, Dev Diaries, Miscellaneous, Not So Massively, Sandbox, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III, Firefall, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Path of Exile There's just one day left to sign up to Star Citizen's Next Great Starship game modding competition, and 198 teams have signed up to compete. Following the recent delay of the dogfighting module, players who missed the livestream got an early peek at the delayed and buggy combat gameplay when the full video was uploaded to YouTube this week. League of Legends was hit with its own scary bug this week that appears to make players on the other team teleport across the map toward you. Blizzard has now confirmed that the Nephalem Rifts feature coming to Diablo III will now be exclusive to Reaper of Souls expansion holders rather than the free update accompanying the game. Path of Exile developer Grinding Gear Games announced that its sixth race season will begin on January 10th, and players have recently discovered some odd stats spawning on fishing pole items originally thought to be worthless. And Firefall's ex-CEO Mark Kern defended himself on Twitter this week, stating that he wasn't fired but instead resigned after losing his status as CEO. Developers working under Mark have been writing about their discontentment with his command style this week on Glassdor and Reddit. Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III's Nephalem Rifts, PoE season six, and Firefall's ex-CEO comes under fire Not So Massively: Diablo III's Nephalem Rifts, PoE season six, and Firefall's ex-CEO comes under fire originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Exploring the wilds of Allods Online Posted: 30 Dec 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, PvE, Free-to-Play, Massively Meta, Hands-On, Choose My Adventure, Allods Online, Livestream, Miscellaneous, The Stream Team, Subscription, MMORPG Last week's Choose My Adventure votes are in, and the community has elected to send Massively's Mike Foster on the path of exploration in Allods Online. In tonight's stream, Mike will be looking carefully at Allods's art design, checking out as many zones as he can at a low level, and talking with viewers about how Allods differs from other fantasy titles. The action starts at 7:00 p.m. EST. Game: Allods Online Host: Mike Foster Date: Monday, December 30th, 2013 Time: 7:00 P.M. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Exploring the wilds of Allods Online The Stream Team: Exploring the wilds of Allods Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review Posted: 30 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), Expansions, Patches, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Captain's Log We've reached the end of 2013 and once again it's time to take a look back at the past year in Star Trek Online to see what has been successful and what missed the mark. I have to say that this year has been the most active that the game has seen since its launch almost four years ago. There's a lot to cover, so I'll just get right to it. A new mission, a new ship, and a familiar voice The game's third anniversary saw a new featured episode accompany the usual Q-instigated frivolity. The mission called Temporal Ambassador included the familiar voice of actress Denise Crosby, whose character, Tasha Yar from Star Trek: The Next Generation, was brought back along with the long-awaited Ambassador Class ship. The ship became the mission reward, continuing Star Trek Online's tradition of providing players with a new vessel during the game's anniversary event. While many of us had hoped that Crosby might be heard again as her other character, the Romulan Tal Shiar Operative Sela, I don't think many of us were truly expecting what was to come. Continue reading Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Playing Istaria with dev team members Posted: 30 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, Interviews, Patches, Free-to-Play, Races, Livestream, Anniversaries, The Stream Team, Buy-to-Play It's the 10th anniversary of Istaria, the classic MMORPG that allows players to play as dragons! Massively's Beau Hindman is going to dive in with members of the developer team to check out some of the new content and to revisit the old! Game: Istaria Host: Beau Hindman Date: Monday, December 30th, 2013 Time: 4:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Playing Istaria with dev team members The Stream Team: Playing Istaria with dev team members originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lunia goes offline on January 1st Posted: 30 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, News Items, Free-to-Play, Sunsets, MMORPG It's been a rough year for MMOs, with several high profile titles going dark over the last 12 months. Unfortunately, it looks as though 2013 has a last-minute casualty to add to the pile in the form of Lunia, the free-to-play action-arcade RPG from All-M. According to an update on the game's official Facebook page, Lunia will be taken down permanently on January 1st, 2014. The game's website is also set to be disabled on the same date. Fans of Lunia can still share memories via the Lunia Facebook page, which will remain open even after the game's servers power down. [Thanks to Mehighlow for the tip!] Lunia goes offline on January 1st originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Service Closure Schedule

Chaos Theory: Cramming your Krampus in before TSW's holidays end Posted: 30 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Events (In-Game), Opinion, Chaos Theory, Buy-to-Play Christmas 2013 -- it's quite a different experience in The Secret World than in other MMORPGs. Instead of offering some colorful cutesy characters based on the jolliest aspects of the season, TSW's festivities draw on the darkest parts of our lore to bring you a Christmas devil, a demoness, and undead Mayans. The only carol you hear is a twisted Jingle Bells whispered in the hellish Niflheim dimension, though wave after wave of horny Hel jokes fill the air. But even with all the differences, one thing is definitely the same: the stress of running around trying to get things done in time! As much as I am grateful that a form of last year's End of Days event has returned (I did ask for it after all), the fact that there are three events -- A Mother of a Season, Ever-Ending Days, and Whispering Tide -- happening simultaneously is a bit overwhelming. Add the whole real-life part of the holiday season to the evil RNG, and I am truly scrambling to complete my holiday wish list of pets, achievements, and apparel. I am even struggling to get the lore. (And you know that makes for a very unhappy MJ!) Luckily, the holiday events don't end until January 2nd, so I am going to make a push to finish up as much as I can. If you happen to be in the same boat, here are a few hints to help wrap it all up. If, however, you are one of those people who got everything done early, feel free to skip to the end where I have penned a more appropriate take on a holiday favorite in honor of the season. Hopefully it will become a new cherished tradition! Continue reading Chaos Theory: Cramming your Krampus in before TSW's holidays end Chaos Theory: Cramming your Krampus in before TSW's holidays end originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Designing Star Citizen's MISC Freelancer Posted: 30 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play Last December, Star Citizen showed off the prototype for the MISC Freelancer ship, a transport vessel with a community-approved design. Now, virtual pilots can take a slideshow stroll through the artistic development process that has gone into taking this ship from concept to final product over the past year. Check out the early renderings and the newest images while following along with the written narrative where developers discuss everything from basic features (like cargo hold placement and weaponry) to the minute details of interior decorations (like the style of seats installed). With 33 panels of images in this Work In Progress update, it's almost like getting a personal tour of the ship. Designing Star Citizen's MISC Freelancer originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Dec 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Freelancer Work in Progress

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