| The Mog Log: Proof of concept Posted: 23 Jul 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log Final Fantasy XIV's last major patch was back in March, when 1.16 brought out the first iteration of the game's quests. Sure, we've had updates since then, but even 1.17 didn't really have the appeal and the energy that you'd expect from a major patch. And 1.16 was something of a disappointment at the time -- not bad, but not nearly what the game needed. There was an awful lot missing there, stuff that seemed basic. I wasn't happy, in other words. Well, here we are now, at 1.18. Any better? In a word, yes. A lot of the stuff that needed to be fixed has been, and a lot of the improvements the game has needed have come through. I've unfortunately only had a little time to play around with the update, but what I've played has been pretty uniformly positive. Positive except for the notable issues that the game was having with the login server right after the patch, but who actually expects patch day to go smoothly? (Other than me, I mean.) Continue reading The Mog Log: Proof of concept  The Mog Log: Proof of concept originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WRUP: Creepy pasta edition Posted: 23 Jul 2011 08:00 AM PDT |
| The Daily Grind: What's your favorite in-game wildlife? Posted: 23 Jul 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Virtual worlds, Miscellaneous The general rule of MMOs is pretty simple to understand -- if it moves, either get a quest from it or kill it. Natural critters other than enemy soldiers exist mostly so that you can occasionally kill ten rats rather than killing ten beastmen. But from the chocobos of Final Fantasy XI to the elementally affected critters of RIFT, there are a plethora of different creatures that roam the land that you aren't necessarily meant to kill -- or at least those that serve a purpose in the world's ecology. In some games, such as the deep space setting of EVE Online, you're not going to find much in the way of wildlife. But in the games that do feature animals meandering about, which ones are your favorites? What local fauna catches your eye, either because it reminds you that the game takes place in a living world or just because it's so alien and bizarre?  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's your favorite in-game wildlife? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Betawatch: July 22-28, 2011 Posted: 22 Jul 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Massively meta, Betawatch, Miscellaneous Welcome to Betawatch, Massively's weekly report on the state of MMO betas. In each installment, we'll report everything from the latest open betas, closed betas and even alphas in one convenient place. Plus, we'll make sure to include as much info on each game's current status, including projected release dates (if known) and links to the sign-up forms to get yourself into that beta you've been seeking. It's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, and also in the wonderful world of betas. Oh, sure, there's been some rumbling about betas and releases coming, especially from Star Wars: The Old Republic, but actual changes have been few and far between. Which is kind of comforting, knowing that no matter what happens, some free-to-play games will remain in their state of perpetual beta, never launching, ever testing. With that being said, there's still a long list of games in testing and allowing players to sign up to test. So jump on past the break for this week's listing, and if you see something missing or something to add, by all means, let us know! Continue reading Betawatch: July 22-28, 2011 Betawatch: July 22-28, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Wasteland Diaries: Triumphant return Posted: 22 Jul 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic I remember way back when the Fallen Earth team released Deadfall there were many people didn't partake because they were waiting for Sector 4. And Deadfall was a pretty major update. It was practically a sector unto itself, with the level cap raised by four. As far as content goes, it wasn't far behind Alpha County in terms of scale. Yet for some reason, many players were holding off on re-subbing until the elusive Sector 4 raised its mythical head. Hopefully those players are willing to wait another week or two. Sector 4 is finally here, but I don't feel it's quite ready yet. It's not S4 itself, it's a slew of other things which I'll cover that later. The important thing is if you decide to head into Alpha, be prepared. You might be a little rusty after all of this time away from the wasteland and in need a refresher course in the finer points of not taking a Kaibab dirtnap. If that's the case, don't sweat it, we all are still working out kinks due to the new combat system. But even if you are stumbling back into the game in the most ungainly of fashions, an ounce of prevention is still much better than a pound of cure. There are a few things you can do to help yourself thrive in the new sector. After the cut, I'll give you some advice that may or may not help you along your way. I'm hoping on the former. Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Triumphant return Wasteland Diaries: Triumphant return originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Some Assembly Required: Issue #2 -- There's no place like home, Kojani style Posted: 22 Jul 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Opinion, Vanguard, Virtual worlds, Some Assembly Required Good mornin'/day/evenin' everyone and welcome to the second edition of Some Assembly Required. It is my pleasure to be your host this time as we delve into the realms of player creativity and ingenuity. And let me tell you, I am quite excited to take on this challenge; in fact, it is this very aspect of gaming that I love most! Hopefully, you won't mind my skulking around your houses and events as I seek out all that is player-created. On many occasions, Jef and I might very well tag-team as we crash -- I mean attend -- your various functions (although I don't think he is much of a skulker). For my inaugural SAR column I chose to focus on one of my favorite canvasses of creativity: player housing. Both housing and decorating are things I am quite passionate about; there are few aspects in games that let you express your creativity like housing. Of course this is certainly a broad topic, so to avoid a 30-thousand-word column with enough pictures to bog the site down, I narrowed this showcase to the world of Telon (and the continent of Kojan in particular) in Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. Luckily, no packs of wild dogs nipped at my heels as I ventured about for this first exhibition of player decorating. Open the door and enter past the cut for a tour of housing in Kojan. Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Issue #2 -- There's no place like home, Kojani style Some Assembly Required: Issue #2 -- There's no place like home, Kojani style originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Rusty Hearts dev diary unveils new PvP details Posted: 22 Jul 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Previews, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries  The latest Rusty Hearts dev diary from Perfect World Entertainment is a short one, but it's still packed to the brim with new details on the game's PvP system. So if you're the type of player who would rather smash your comrades' faces into the dirt than -- gag -- cooperate, listen up. Players will be able to create private rooms for their friends to join and take part in PvP combat, which comes in a variety of delicious flavors. Of course, you've got your vanilla team deathmatch for those of you who like to keep it traditional, or the elimination deathmatch in which two teams battle until only one is left standing. There's also the VIP gametype, which designates one player of each team the VIP, while the other players are tasked with protecting their own VIP and assassinating the enemy's. All of these games' statistics will be logged for bragging rights, and players will also be rewarded with PvP points that can be spent on fancy new items. Players will also be ranked in a ladder system that will allow them to see where they stand compared to the rest of the world. With all this and certainly more to come, it looks like Rusty Hearts is shaping up to be a competitive player's dream. Jump on past the cut for the full dev diary. Continue reading Rusty Hearts dev diary unveils new PvP details Rusty Hearts dev diary unveils new PvP details originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| GamersFirst kicks off APB's second open beta Posted: 22 Jul 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Real life, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, All Points Bulletin, Crime, Dev Diaries In case you missed it, APB Reloaded's second beta phase kicked off yesterday. The version 1.5.2 update " contains the biggest changes to missions, matchmaking, skill rating, and district recommendation to date," according to the latest GamersFirst dev blog. Bjorn Book-Larsson has a few words of wisdom for residents of San Paro in terms of 15-minute patching-related disconnects. GamersFirst is working " round-the-clock" to isolate issues and come to terms with bugaboos that don't necessarily crop up prior to a large-scale player influx. The latest Reloaded dev diary also contains detailed info relative to all the matchmaking and threat level changes, as well as a bit about cheating statistics and upcoming Nvidia support. Finally, there's a blurb about future servers, and gamers in Russia, Hong Kong, and Australia can look forward to dedicated shards before long. GamersFirst kicks off APB's second open beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| One Shots: Spectator bird Posted: 22 Jul 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, One Shots, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV Among all the games I've played through the years, Final Fantasy XIV seems to lend itself to some of the nicest screenshots I can take. It's probably the roleplaying events -- they give plenty of time to pose, decide on angle, and snap off shots wherein dodos watch expectantly. This particular event took the form of training players in the Gladiator profession, which meant a large number of dodos getting hacked up to begin with. It's not our fault they make such excellent training dummies. All this week, we Massively writers are spotlighting some of our personal favorite One Shots. What exciting stories revolve around our screenshots? Stay tuned to find out. Next week, after staff picks week, will be free-for-all week for you, our readers. Send any eye-catching, beautiful, scary, or generally epic screenshot to oneshots@massively.com, and we'll pick the best of the best for next week's One Shots! One Shots: Spectator bird originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SDCC 2011: New City of Heroes: Freedom screenshots, trailer Posted: 22 Jul 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play Following hot on the heels of our preview of the new powersets coming to City of Heroes, NCSoft and Paragon Studios have let loose a flood of new assets for the upcoming additions to the game. The images cover the new powersets, the updated tutorial, the new Paragon Reward system, and all the other nifty new features that will finally see the light of day with City of Heroes' Issue 21. We've also got a new trailer for you to allow you to see all of the new content in action, and we have to say it looks like City of Heroes fans have a great deal to look forward to. So if you're a City of Heroes player anxiously anticipating Issue 21, jump on past the cut for the new trailer. Hopefully it will keep your appetite sated for just a while longer. Continue reading SDCC 2011: New City of Heroes: Freedom screenshots, trailer SDCC 2011: New City of Heroes: Freedom screenshots, trailer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Road to Mordor: Double dragons Posted: 22 Jul 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor Last week Turbine released the concept art for one of its major bosses from the upcoming Rise of Isengard expansion: Draigoch. With it came a number of appropriate "oohs" and "ahhs," and no doubt raiders began thinking up uses for a giant dragon skull in their homes. But there was also a crowd that popped out to cry foul about lore molestation -- that this was a blatant example of Turbine pandering to MMO players by including the expected dragons even when the lore shouldn't support it. A couple examples of quotes, first. "Yet whatever way you cut this idea, how can you integrate another dragon into the story? Smaug was the last one of his kind," Contains Moderate Peril complains. A commenter on our article sniped, "So Turbine's decided to entirely drop the pretense of sticking to the lore, then?" Ouch. As much as I am totally not attached to MMO lore in general, I feel like this might be a good time to both address this particular argument and also the larger one of Turbine's approach to Tolkien's world. Are giant dragons lore-breaking? Does Turbine simply not care about remaining faithful to source material? Do you have my decaf light mocha with cinnamon sprinkles? Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Double dragons The Road to Mordor: Double dragons originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Storyboard: Red light Posted: 22 Jul 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Storyboard, Miscellaneous When it comes to roleplaying, we've got more than our fair share of elephants in the room. Things we all know are taking place, that fall under the same aegis as the rest of the hobby, but things we don't really want to acknowledge publicly. Partly because you can have good roleplayers, people you know and play with, who have some less-savory elements lurking in the background. It's hard not to notice that a fellow roleplayer is cliquish, isolationist, and condescending... but it's very possible for a friend to be heavily into erotic roleplay (ERP) without you realizing it. And it needs to be talked about. It needs to be addressed, because there's something strange about the entire roleplaying community pretending that it doesn't exist. From a combination of factors -- squick, inappropriateness, and just plain disinterest -- we've allowed a shadow community to grow up in the space around roleplaying, with the tacit hope that if no one mentions ERP as if it were a part of roleplaying, it'll just go away and we can go back to what we were doing before. Before I go any further in this column, I'd like to note that some stuff in here might be squickworthy. It's the nature of the beast. Please tread carefully, and I apologize in advance to anyone skeeved out. Continue reading Storyboard: Red light Storyboard: Red light originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Black Prophecy unveils Space Superstar contest Posted: 22 Jul 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Contests, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Black Prophecy Feeling like a Black Prophecy superstar? The recently launched free-to-play space shooter is looking for a few good designers to take advantage of the game's character creation tools. The Space Superstar competition will feature three winners, one each in the categories of coolest, funniest, and most beautiful avatar. What do you get for your trouble? Immortality (or at least, the MMORPG version of it). Each category champ will have their character entered as the new preset in Black Prophecy's character creator. The contest kicked off yesterday and it runs through Wednesday, August 3rd, so what the frak are you waiting for? Black Prophecy unveils Space Superstar contest originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SDCC 2011: City of Heroes has new powers to show off Posted: 22 Jul 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Free-to-play Time Manipulation has been known about for some time as a new set en route to City of Heroes once the Freedom patch launches toward the end of the summer, but the development team does love throwing in new elements to play with. The game's official boards are alight with new information about two new powersets, Street Justice and Beam Gun, straight from the demo stations at San Diego Comic-Con. Beam Gun, as the name would imply, is a set for Corruptors, Defenders, and Blasters, giving players access to the eponymous gun which deals mostly Energy damage. The individual attacks are fairly weak, but each attack lands a debuff to increase subsequent damage, making the powerset play something like a ranged Brute. Meanwhile, Street Justice is a melee set that builds up combo points to improve a finishing attack, taking the form of smashing and lethal martial arts attacks. No word yet on any other powers that might be coming with the update, but three sets alone should have players hammering out new alts as soon as the update goes live. SDCC 2011: City of Heroes has new powers to show off originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SDCC 2011: SWTOR invites you to join the fight with a new in-game trailer Posted: 22 Jul 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic Earlier today, Massively reported about some of the new announcements BioWare gave us at San Diego Comic-Con. However, with Star Wars the Old Republic, the visuals always out weigh the prose, so the community team created a brand new video highlighting the motivation of each character class. The Jedi Knight is looking to rid the universe of darkness; the Trooper wants all Imperials dead; the Smuggler has nothing more to lose; and the Consular follows the Force. On the flip side, a Sith Warrior writhes with hatred; the Bounty Hunter lives for danger; Agents fight for the Empire; and Inquisitors wish to wipe them out... all of them. Which side will you take when you join the fight? As previously stated, SWTOR will have a limited launch, so the BioWare team is encouraging you to pre-order as soon as possible. Catch the full trailer after the break, and pay close attention to the warzone in which the factions are fighting. Is that Corellia? Let us know what you think in the comments below. Continue reading SDCC 2011: SWTOR invites you to join the fight with a new in-game trailer SDCC 2011: SWTOR invites you to join the fight with a new in-game trailer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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