| The Road to Mordor: Believing in Isengard Posted: 22 Oct 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Lore, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor I find it's always awkward, to say the least, when someone tells you outright he dislikes something and then asks you to convince him otherwise. "I hate marmalade, it's so sticky! Why should I think it's awesome?" "Uh... you sound like you've made up your mind already." However, if the person in question isn't being an outright marmalade troll, I'll do my best to answer him because usually contained in that bizarre request is a frustrated non-understanding of what he wants to like, what others seem to like, but what he cannot quite grasp. Sometimes a better perspective helps us appreciate something we may have formerly disliked, so there's no reason not to engage such queries. This past week, a Massively forum poster expressed disatisfaction over Rise of Isengard, citing an abundance of kill 10 rats quests and a lackluster storyline. He finished by throwing down a challenge: "If anyone has some good things to say about Lord of the Rings Online that could convince me I am wrong, I would love to hear them." Now, I'm not here to say that he's wrong; that's a matter of opinion and taste. But I'll gladly step up to the plate and share why I don't think this is the worst expansion yet -- far from it, actually. Without presenting a full post-mortem on Rise of Isengard, I can tell you what I do think is worth a player's investment of money or TP in this expansion. Hit the jump and the Road to Mordor will take you there! Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Believing in Isengard  The Road to Mordor: Believing in Isengard originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Mummy Online's beta is under wraps Posted: 22 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Horror, Free-to-play, Browser Seeing as how Halloween is right around the corner, it seems like a perfect time to tap into your inner monster and unleash the spooky spirit of the holiday. And what better way to do so than to wrap yourself in gauze, drain your bodily fluids, be buried alive, and brew a vengeful spirit over the next two thousand years? Or, you know, you could just play The Mummy Online, which has recently gone into closed beta. Bigpoint's online version of Universal Studios' classic horror franchise looks to retain the best of the recent films as it mashes scares and high adventure thrills together. The game is free-to-play in your browser, and is presented in a top-down, isometric format. Applications for the closed beta are currently being accepted. You can get a closer look at The Mummy Online in the gallery below, but beware! Opening this gallery will unleash an ancient curse upon your spleen! The Mummy Online's beta is under wraps originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WRUP: Mists of what edition Posted: 22 Oct 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Massively meta, Miscellaneous I'm going to bet dollars to donuts every single person expected to see a panda up there after recent announcements, so yeah, there you go. I hope that the people still playing the game are chuffed about it; I'm not really in a position to say, as I haven't been playing for several months and have no desire whatsoever to go back to the game. For what it's worth, my reaction was the exact opposite of "oh, that's neat." Anyway, it's time for this week's installment of WRUP, which does not feature anything remotely related to pandas. Instead, it features the Massively staff members talking about their plans for the weekend as well as whether they prefer to level in a group or by their lonesome. So check on past the break to see what we'll be up to for the next couple of days, and let us know your plans in the comments. Continue reading WRUP: Mists of what edition WRUP: Mists of what edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Star Trek Online strengthening the fight against the Borg Posted: 22 Oct 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Previews, Endgame, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play Since launch, Star Trek Online has always used the Borg as a major threat. This is evidenced by the Borg's position in several of the game's Strategic Task Forces, top-end challenges for the best of the best in the Federation and the KDF. The conversion to free-to-play will include improvements and updates for these STFs, starting with a change explained in the latest installment of the Path to F2P blog series. The first change is the shift to two separate difficulty modes, Normal and Elite. STFs are also being added to the PvE queue feature so that players can more easily assemble a group. Last but not least, the missions will feature special rewards that can be traded for a variety of anti-Borg equipment, allowing successful players the chance to better tune their ships for future runs. These updates won't reduce the threat level of the Borg, but they should help more players face off against one of the game's marquee opponents. Star Trek Online strengthening the fight against the Borg originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: How should free-to-play games restrict content? Posted: 22 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Game mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous It's the perpetual trouble of free-to-play games. The development team wants to give players access to as much as possible (so that the players enjoy the game and keep playing), but it also wants to give players incentive to pay (so that the development team can enjoy dinner and keep paying the rent). So there has to be some sort of throttle on what you can get for free, since otherwise the game is no longer operating as a business and has begun working as a charity. With the exception of games such as Guild Wars which require a box purchase, every free-to-play game has to place some restrictions on players who pay nothing. But what restrictions are the most fair? Giving out a baseline amount of content and classes for free, and then offering more content or classes for pay? Slowing experience gains without spending money? Or is there another system that you've seen in play that works better?  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: How should free-to-play games restrict content? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| CCP announces new Customer Relations details Posted: 21 Oct 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox A couple of days ago, CCP announced that an alarming number of team members had been laid off. Many EVE Online players were understandably concerned about what this might mean for the future of the game. CCP aims to put those concerns to rest with a new dev blog entry released today, which announces that CCP's Community Team has been merged with Customer Support in order to form a new Customer Relations department. The community team has also been relocated to CCP's Reykjavik offices "and will be working closely with every development team to ensure that players are kept up to date with what is coming to EVE." CCP is aiming to increase communication with players and in the coming weeks, the company intends to begin by bringing out a series of short videos which will focus on what's currently in development for EVE. For all the nitty-gritty details, head on over to the official post at EVE's site. CCP announces new Customer Relations details originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SOE releases new PlanetSide 2 lore entry Posted: 21 Oct 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2 Ah, SOE. What ever are we going to do with you? In a week that saw BioWare drop its guard on press information and Blizzard announce the impending arrival of six million kung fu pandas, what do you do to keep PlanetSide 2 in the public eye? You release another backstory snippet! That's backstory. For a shooter. OK, now that we've reached our snark quota for the next several posts, we can tell you that today's reveal is part four of the ongoing PlanetSide 2 lore updates, and it concerns the holovid diary of one Thomas Connery (no relation to Sean as far as we know). This Connery is a commander in the Terran Republic, and his journal entry is somewhat alarming due to the fact that he seems to be lost in space with no oxygen-rich planets in his general vicinity. Check it out for yourself at the official PlanetSide 2 website. SOE releases new PlanetSide 2 lore entry originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Secret World invites you to ask your Dragony questions Posted: 21 Oct 2011 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Sci-fi, The Secret World, Community Q&A After the past few days' Week of the Dragon, The Secret World invites you to get all those burning questions off your chest in a fun Q&A setting. Using Facebook as a platform for this back-and-forth exchange, Funcom wants its fans to ask any and all Dragon-related queries on its social media page. If so interested, you can head over to The Secret World on Facebook, click the Questions & Answers tab, and let 'er rip! Funcom will be compiling the best of these questions and will answer them on Sunday, October 23rd at 2:00 p.m. EDT. Of course, due to time and other restraints, Funcom will not be able to answer every query posed. The Secret World's Week of the Dragon has covered many aspects of this Asian-themed faction, including a video, interview, backstory, and concept art. The developer promised similar-themed weeks for the Templar and Illuminati factions in the upcoming future. The Secret World invites you to ask your Dragony questions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Betawatch: October 15-21, 2011 Posted: 21 Oct 2011 06:00 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. Jagged Alliance joins our closed beta list this week. While you still have a ways to go -- gamigo promises closed beta before the end of the year -- the company is currently taking sign-ups. If you're in the market for something a little more immediate, WindSlayer 2 is also new to the closed beta list, and we've got closed beta keys for you! Follow along after the jump for the latest Betawatch list. Continue reading Betawatch: October 15-21, 2011 Betawatch: October 15-21, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| League of Legends releases champion spotlight for Graves Posted: 21 Oct 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Video, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Not So Massively Every few weeks, popular MOBA League of Legends adds a new champion to its already impressive roster of opponents. This week ranged damage-dealer Graves enters the fray, with some interesting abilities that really set him apart from other champions. His passive ability, True Grit, encourages players to stay in combat by granting Graves a stacking bonus to armour and magic resist. The buff will wear off if he leaves combat, but the added resistance and armour could get you some very close kills. Buckshot fires out three nukes in a cone, and enemies near the shot can be hit with more than one projectile, making it great for farming creeps. Smokescreen throws an area-effect smoke bomb that slows enemies within its radius and reduces their vision range to within the smokescreen. Quickdraw makes Graves dash a short distance and gives him bonus attack speed, making it the perfect skill for chasing down fleeing champions. The cooldown is reduced each time Graves lands a basic attack. Graves' ultimate, Collateral Damage, fires a high-damage nuke that explodes on contact with an enemy champion, spraying a cone of shrapnel behind the target champion. For more information on Graves and to see how he plays in a game, skip past the cut to watch the official champion spotlight video. Continue reading League of Legends releases champion spotlight for Graves League of Legends releases champion spotlight for Graves originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Hands-on with Blizzard DOTA: Tweaking the genre it created Posted: 21 Oct 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, Game mechanics, New titles, Previews, Opinion, Hands-on, MMORTS, Massively Hands-on, Miscellaneous Mat McCurley is on loan to us from WoW Insider, which dispatched him to BlizzCon 2011 just in time to bring us this hands-on with Blizzard's upcoming MOBA! Blizzard DOTA has been reborn! We first experienced the StarCraft II module back during BlizzCon 2010, when the game felt like a very different affair. Now, Blizzard DOTA has been more streamlined to make for a unique and new playstyle. While the basic gameplay of the tri-lane DOTA maps stays similar (with two forces of minions ever-locked in eternal combat moving up and down lanes), there are changes that give the game a bit more dynamic player control. Continue reading Hands-on with Blizzard DOTA: Tweaking the genre it created Hands-on with Blizzard DOTA: Tweaking the genre it created originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| GAME introduces centralized digital payment system for MMOs Posted: 21 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Economy, MMO industry, RuneScape, All Points Bulletin, Miscellaneous UK's largest video games retailer, the appropriately named GAME, is taking a crack at the ever-widening digital market. The retailer introduced a new feature for players looking to purchase content online called GAMEwallet, with plans to offer gift cards for the system in 2012. By giving players incentive to focus on just one account that can be used to fund multiple MMOs and other games, GAME is hoping that GAMEwallet will become the one-stop shopping center for gamers. Several MMO studios are on board with the program, with titles like RuneScape and APB Reloaded fundable through it. GAME is targeting a majority of its customers who don't use debit and credit cards to buy digital content because of security concerns. GAME's Tricia Brennan sees move as not just a smart one, but a necessary one: "The digital games market is growing fast, but two things are holding it back: the reliance on customers using credit or debit cards online, and the lack of a one-stop shop offering advice across a wide range of titles from different publishers. We're about to change that." GAME is currently struggling financially, as it recently announced losses of over $81 million from sales. GAME introduces centralized digital payment system for MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Blizzard discusses Mists of Pandaria details Posted: 21 Oct 2011 02:25 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Game mechanics, New titles, Previews, News items The big day-one BlizzCon announcement is that Mists of Pandaria is going to be the next World of Warcraft expansion, and we've got some new details on what players can expect from the new content. For starters, Blizzard is once again reworking the talent system, as the studio feels that the current system hasn't aged well and has been plagued with cookie-cutter builds. Instead, each class will have a single talent tree, and every 15 levels players will choose one of three available talents. Talent builds can be changed as easily as glyphs, meaning it's possible to customize your talents mid-instance in order to tune for a specific fight. Outdoor raid bosses are making a return, and Blizzard is aiming to allow players to choose their own paths through the content rather than forcing them onto a set path. For more details, head on past the cut! Continue reading Blizzard discusses Mists of Pandaria details Blizzard discusses Mists of Pandaria details originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Storyboard: Rubicons Posted: 21 Oct 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous It was a great time for a character to die. The problem is that roleplaying isn't a novel. Ms. Lady's character had just had one of her eyes put out, had been left to die by the people she had been working for, and was blubbering for her life to another woman who had every reason to take that life. That other woman, D, had been betrayed twice over by the newly minted cyclops. She was a spy, and she had every reason to tie up a loose end by killing Ms. Lady's character. But she wouldn't do it without permission out-of-character. And Ms. Lady turned to me and asked, "So... should I let her die?" It's not always a matter of death. But your characters will face their own rubicons, moments when their lives will be changed irrevocably if they step forward. The question is, when do you take that step? When do you march forward into a permanent change, and when do you take a step back and let the opportunity pass? Continue reading Storyboard: Rubicons Storyboard: Rubicons originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MMObility: OnLive might just be perfect for MMOs Posted: 21 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business models, Opinion, Browser, Consoles, Casual, MMOFPS, Miscellaneous, MMObility I sat in my bed last night, wanting to play something. I had already been playing my staple of browser-based MMOs. I had already crafted a bunch of arrows to grind on in RuneScape, ensured something was being built in Illyriad, and made note to try some of the new content in a few more of my favorites. I wanted to try something single-player, though, but my desktop was in the other room. It was chilly, and my dogs had weighed down the covers. So I pulled up my laptop and actually plugged it into my router instead of going wireless. I fired up OnLive, the miracle service that streams games to your device. Within a few minutes, I was shooting, exploring, and leveling in games that my little laptop would probably have had a very hard time running on its own. This got me thinking about OnLive's recent announcement about working with MMOs to stream them to players all over the world. Would it work? How would it work? Click past the cut and let's discuss it! Continue reading MMObility: OnLive might just be perfect for MMOs MMObility: OnLive might just be perfect for MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| BlizzCon kicks off; new WoW, DotA details abound Posted: 21 Oct 2011 12:50 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Events, real-world, News items, Miscellaneous  Today's a big day for Blizzard fans, as BlizzCon is kicking off in full-swing! The opening ceremonies are underway as we speak, and there are already a couple of juicy nuggets for World of Warcraft players. WoW players who upgrade their accounts to the 12-month subscription model will receive two lovely gifts: access to the next WoW expansion's beta test and Diablo III. That's right, upgrade to the 12-month subscription plan and you get Diablo III completely free. Blizzard has also announced its upcoming DoTA title, and we'll have a hands-on with that as soon as possible, so stay tuned for more BlizzCon excitement. [Update: It's official, folks. The newest World of Warcraft expansion is Mists of Pandaria. Players will have access to the Pandren race as well as a new hero class: the Monk. The newest trailers are embedded behind the break. Check out the official post at WoW Insider for more!]
[Update: The Monk is not a hero class. Sorry for the confusion!]Continue reading BlizzCon kicks off; new WoW, DotA details abound BlizzCon kicks off; new WoW, DotA details abound originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Earthrise releases vehicle patch, reactivates old accounts Posted: 21 Oct 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Earthrise, Sandbox Masthead Studios has just informed us of the latest patch for Earthrise. There's good news for former players too, as the company is re-upping all inactive accounts for a free 14-day trial period. The patch itself includes new vehicles that can be obtained via quest lines, player crafters, or in-game vendors. The mounts are called hoovers, and when coupled with Earthrise's physics model, they allow players to perform drifts, jumps, and various stunts. Speed is a major factor as well, and Masthead says that explorers will appreciate the new vehicles when checking out the various nooks and crannies across the world of Enterra. Finally, the patch includes "large numbers of strong monsters" designed to provide more of a challenge for PvE players as well as provide greater loot rewards. You can learn more about Earthrise at the game's official website. Also, don't forget to check out the new vehicle concept art in our gallery. [Source: Masthead press release] Earthrise releases vehicle patch, reactivates old accounts originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Transformers Universe NYCC panel recap Posted: 21 Oct 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Lore, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Transformers Universe  Autobots, transform and roll -- Oh, hi. No, I wasn't playing with action figures. Anyway, how about that new Transformers Universe game that Jagex is making, huh? Well, there's some new information about it straight from the Q&A panel at New York Comic Con, so let's talk about that and not the action figures I wasn't playing with. The panel covers a veritable smorgasbord of information, ranging from lore to gameplay to voice acting to technology and security. The team points out that the game will not tie into the Michael Bay movies in any way, as it takes place in the franchise's Prime universe. The game will be browser-based and free-to-play, though the team isn't ready to announce how the game will be monetized. PvE and PvP will both be available -- as if a Transformers game would be complete without Autobot vs. Decepticon action -- but the team says that both tie in to story elements within the game. The devs also note that players' Transformers' vehicle modes will be more than just mounts (that is to say, vehicle mode will tie into combat somehow) but they're not ready to discuss specifics. The full panel addresses much more in greater detail, so click on through the link below to read the full report. Transformers Universe NYCC panel recap originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Super Hero Squad Online's challenge system offers a new way to earn special characters Posted: 21 Oct 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Classes, Game mechanics, Free-to-play, Casual, Super Hero Squad Online If you're playing Super Hero Squad Online, chances are you have the collecting bug already -- you want to collect every cool hero you can find. With a new feature, Gazillion's players can now flesh out their roster for free (as long as they're willing to put in some effort!). Dubbed the Challenge System, this feature opens a series of achievements for players to tackle. Successfully completed challenges earn money and tickets, and span the entire game world. The best rewards, of course, are new heroes that are exclusive to this system, so if you want any of them, you're going to have to step up and knock out these challenges. The new heroes coming as Challenge System rewards include Colossus, Daredevil, Firestar, Future Foundation Spider-Man, and Sentry. [Source: Gazillion press release] Super Hero Squad Online's challenge system offers a new way to earn special characters originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| EVE dev blog talks new Minmatar battlecruiser Posted: 21 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox  More good news for EVE Online fans just showed up on the sci-fi sandbox game's official website. It turns out that CCP wasn't kidding when it said it has shifted its focus back to internet spaceships. The latest EVE dev blog features a couple of images of the new Minmatar Tornado battlecruiser as well as a bit of verbiage confirming that CCP will be announcing the ship's factional counterparts in the coming weeks. And yes, we did say battlecruiser, since CCP has thought better of its original plan to release the Tornado as a battleship. "When reviewing the armadas of existing ships we came to the conclusion that it would make much more sense to add another tier of battlecruisers instead of a fourth battleship tier, and that the accessibility of BC skills would mean more of these ships might be in the hands of younger, brasher pilots. That means more pew pew pew overall," CCP Guard writes. EVE dev blog talks new Minmatar battlecruiser originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Star Wars: The Old Republic video gives a look inside the collector's edition Posted: 21 Oct 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic Here's a question for you: How is Star Wars: The Old Republic like Christmas? Right, it releases the same week, but do you know another way it's like Christmas? That's right! Opening the Collector's Edition is like opening one of those box-inside-a-box-inside-a-box presents your uncle gives you as a gag gift. However, this one should be more fun because the deeper you dive into the box the greater the gift becomes. This giant box, featuring a painting of bounty hunter Shae Vizla directly on the front, slides open from the top revealing six items inside. The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural features full-color images of the events leading up to the Sacking of Corurscant. A tabloid-sized galaxy map visually indicates all the places you will be able to visit in the game. An authenticator key helps secure your personal information from hackers. A statue of Darth Malgus hides in the largest box within the main box. A single CD contains the full musical score for the game, and lastly, the three-disk game set is encased inside a collectable metal case. Catch a one-and-a-half-minute video unveiling each piece after the break. Continue reading Star Wars: The Old Republic video gives a look inside the collector's edition Star Wars: The Old Republic video gives a look inside the collector's edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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