| The Game Archaeologist: World War II Online Posted: 12 Jul 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, MMO Industry, Opinion, MMOFPS, The Game Archaeologist The 1990s saw the rise of flight simulators that thrived on detailed, complicated controls and handling. Such games threw out accessibility and casual-friendliness for stark-raving realism, and a certain subset of gamers really thrived on them. I tried my hand at a couple and found myself breathing rapidly when pouring through keyboard charts and doing basic algebra just to get a plane off of the ground. Not for me, I said then. I don't think there's ever stopped being absurdly complex video games that aim for immersion through detailed realism, even though that appeals to only the fringe of the fringe. Some people have their gaming standards set exactly that high and no lower, and some devs refuse to water down their visions just to sell more box units. For these people, Cornered Rat Software (CRS) created World War II Online, an overly ambitious MMOFPS that stumbled out of the gate in 2001 but has gamely soldiered on since then. Over a decade now an epic war has been raging for control over a continent, and it's been up to the fiercely loyal fans to keep the fight going. Today we're going to take a look at the guts 'n' glory of this project to both praise its complexity and curse it for the same thing. If nothing else, it was a game that could only have arisen from the early landscape of 3-D MMOs, and for that it warrants our attention. Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: World War II Online  The Game Archaeologist: World War II Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jul 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WRUP: Best geeky rom-com ever Posted: 12 Jul 2014 08:00 AM PDT |
| The Daily Grind: Which MMO has the best newbie support system? Posted: 12 Jul 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Everybody's a new player to a particular MMO at some point, even if grizzled vets would like you to believe that they were already at the level cap when the cosmos came into being. I think it's easy to forget how complex and mystifying these games can be to a fresh set of eyes, especially when one is coming into the game long after launch. That's why I always applaud an MMO that puts an emphasis on supporting newbies with helpful advice and even structured mentorships. Two examples come to mind: Fallen Earth has a terrific help channel that's staffed with volunteers and CMs on a regular basis, and Anarchy Online had a player advisory group that roams the beginner zones looking to help lost players. So which MMO do you think has the best newbie support system?  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: Which MMO has the best newbie support system? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jul 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Marvel Heroes introduces Mr. Fantastic and a boost weekend Posted: 11 Jul 2014 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Events (In-Game), News Items, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes He's the leader of the first super team in the Marvel Universe, he's a brilliant scientist, and he has perhaps the most egotistical name in the entire franchise. He's Mr. Fantastic, and he's now available in Marvel Heroes for players to enjoy. Launching with two costumes, Richards has access to all of his usual tricks, including forming giant fists, stretching to insane lengths as a travel method, and presumably blasting his friends and family members with untested inventions just to see what happens. If you can't wait to get your (normal human-sized) hands on the FF's leader, you'll be well served by the bonus event running this weekend. All players will receive a 100% bonus to experience, SIF, and RIF gained during the weekend. Players will also have access to A.R.M.O.R. Research Drives, which can be turned in to Jocasta for A.R.M.O.R. Bounty Boxes as well as rewards from the previous bounty event. No better time to get stretching, in other words. Marvel Heroes introduces Mr. Fantastic and a boost weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jul 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Betawatch: July 5 - 11, 2014 Posted: 11 Jul 2014 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Betas, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Betawatch, Miscellaneous, Crowdfunding, Destiny, Shroud of the Avatar, Pathfinder Online, Landmark ArcheAge dazzled MMORPG players this week with the announcement that its closed beta will kick off on July 17th. What else is new in the world of MMO testing? The complete Betawatch roundup for the week of July 5th to 11th is below. Continue reading Betawatch: July 5 - 11, 2014 Betawatch: July 5 - 11, 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jul 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| DC Universe Online dev weighs pros and cons of recent update Posted: 11 Jul 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Patches, Free-to-Play, DC Universe Online, Dev Diaries Lead Content Designer Donovan Kennedy has a new dev blog up on Gamasutra in which he breaks down the challenges the team faced with DC Universe Online's recent Amazon Fury Part 1 DLC pack. He first identified three "strengths" of the DLC: helpful early internal feedback, cool story missions, and the opportunity to visit familiar locations. "These missions were right on target and players have given overwhelmingly positive feedback-not just on the cool game mechanics, but also for Wonder Woman and Circe's personalities really supporting their personal objectives and how they interact with the other Amazons," Kennedy wrote. On the flip side, Kennedy said that the studio over-planned the map, needed more internal playtesting, and got pushback from players not always happy that they had to learn new combat mechanics for a couple of the missions. He was especially apologetic about pushing out an update that wasn't fully polished: "When Amazon Fury was pushed out to our public test server, there were a few glaring bugs that came back to bite us (after they were found by players -- ouch!)." DC Universe Online dev weighs pros and cons of recent update originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jul 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Star Wars Galaxies lead designer passes away Posted: 11 Jul 2014 04:00 PM PDT |
| Defiance drops patch 2.1 on Monday Posted: 11 Jul 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Lore, Patches, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Consoles, Defiance Ready to roll out into more Defiance content? You'll have to wait... until the weekend is over. Patch 2.1, Alter EGO, is going live on July 14th, bringing a new mission and two new factions into the game. The new mission helps keep the game's lore humming along and should provide plenty of interesting revelations, as players investigate the apparently resurrected Karl Von Bach and his newfound desire to just give EGO implants to whoever wants them. Meanwhile, the two new factions are the Tarr Family and the Defiant Few; the latter faction is headed by Camden Pace and promises big rewards to anyone who aids her goals. Players are also promised a new mission line and a new arkbreak in the coming weeks. If that's just what you've been waiting for, load up your gun and get ready to roll out when Monday comes around. [Thanks to Gaius Cavadus for the tip!] Defiance drops patch 2.1 on Monday originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jul 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Dino-survival: Hands-on with The Stomping Land's early access alpha Posted: 11 Jul 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Bugs, Business Models, Game Mechanics, PvP, News Items, Opinion, Hands-On, First Impressions Yesterday, I examined up-and-coming dinosaur-survival MMO Beasts of Prey. Today, let's look at another game in the same niche genre: The Stomping Land. The Stomping Land isn't technically billing itself as an MMO, but it boasts a semi-permanent world. But my experience in it was nothing like the trailers shown back in May. The current game is totally different. In fact, it seems to have regressed. There's no customization, there are no berries, and no one I talked to knew how to name a tribe. It feels like a semi-permanent shooter, similar to other survival games except without a lot of the building. You either make a teepee or you don't. You make a bow or you don't. You have a dinosaur mount or... you don't. The biggest servers I saw had 24 people, meaning I was able to avoid other players very often, but the game was more fun when I encountered people -- at least people who didn't one-shot me and waltz away. Continue reading Dino-survival: Hands-on with The Stomping Land's early access alpha Dino-survival: Hands-on with The Stomping Land's early access alpha originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jul 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Stream Team: Living like a Teir'Dal in Landmark (and a beta giveaway) Posted: 11 Jul 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Free-to-Play, Races, Livestream, The Stream Team, Player-Generated Content, Landmark Landmark just wrapped up its first racial contest and will soon be exploring the building styles of the next. That makes it a perfect time for Massively's MJ to show off some of the Dark Elf contest submissions that players have built. Come join MJ as she tours various bridges, towers, and castles in all their sinister glory. Need more incentive than just staring at awesome creations? How about free beta and portcullis codes! Join us live at 3:00 p.m. for the latest tour and a chance at your own codes to join in the fun. Game: Landmark Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Friday, July 11th, 2014 Time: 3:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Living like a Teir'Dal in Landmark (and a beta giveaway) The Stream Team: Living like a Teir'Dal in Landmark (and a beta giveaway) originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jul 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Here's 13 minutes of Moonlight Blade in HD Posted: 11 Jul 2014 12:00 PM PDT |
| Heroes & Generals on Steam today Posted: 11 Jul 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Business Models, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, War, Free-to-Play Did you know that Heroes & Generals was one of the first titles to ever be Greenlit by the Steam community? Yep, it was, and today developer Reto-Moto is launching the World War II shooter/strategy FPS on Valve's ubiquitous PC platform. But wait, isn't Heroes & Generals a browser game? Well, partly, but Reto-Moto says not to worry. "The browser version will also still be operational and both versions offer the same game and access to the same wars," the firm explains via press release. If you're already an H&G player, you can use your existing account with the new Steam version. Click past the cut to have a look at the Steam launch trailer! [Source: Reto-Moto press release] Continue reading Heroes & Generals on Steam today Heroes & Generals on Steam today originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jul 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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