| Five Diablo III Wizard myths tested and debunked Posted: 16 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, PvE, Guides, Diablo III When building your Diablo III Wizard, you have two main schools of thought on weapon type: use a high-damage two handed weapon with low attack speed or use a one-handed weapon and offhand and stack as much attack speed as possible. Items with increased attack speed on them greatly increase damage per second on paper, but there is some confusion in the Wizard community as to which spells are affected by it. Some players contend that Blizzard and Hydra are unaffected by attack speed; others report that channeled spells ignore both critical hit chance and attack speed. To find out the truth, I bought a two-handed weapon with 0.9 attack speed and a one-handed weapon with 1.6, both with the same rated damage per second. I then tested every spell on the zombies at the start of Act 1 in hell mode dozens of times and checked the damage difference, finally adding attack speed rings and amulets and re-testing both weapons. For almost every spell, the one-handed setup dealt lower damage but hit more frequently, averaging to the same damage per second. But the story was a little different for Hydra, Blizzard, and channeled spells. In this guide, I put five popular Diablo III Wizard myths to the test and discover the inner workings of Energy Armour, Hydra, Blizzard, Critical Mass, and other abilities. Continue reading Five Diablo III Wizard myths tested and debunked  Five Diablo III Wizard myths tested and debunked originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Star Trek Online updates players on the next two seasons in State of the Game letter Posted: 16 Jun 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play When a game goes free-to-play, the development team has to change up its priorities. Star Trek Online changed up the leveling path when the business model was changed, giving players new and old an easier path to higher levels. But now that players are at the endgame, what comes next? The newest State of the Game letter addresses that, looking to the next two updates as major improvements for players looking to take on new projects. Season 6 is almost ready for live, and it's bringing along fleet starbases and group projects to help keep players involved. Season 7 is aimed at introducing the Tholians to the game and a new sector, giving players a new form of story-based content without specifically using the Featured Episode system that's previously been employed. This is just scratching the surface of what's available, of course, so players should take a look at the full letter to get a better idea of where the game is heading over the next several months. Star Trek Online updates players on the next two seasons in State of the Game letter originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WRUP: Yes, I have a Twitter now edition Posted: 16 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Massively Meta, Miscellaneous I've never been great about replying to comments, but I finally decided it was time to kill two birds with one bird-shaped stone and just sign back up for Twitter. Now the whole world can thrill to my daily adventures, including having breakfast, thinking about what I had for breakfast, sobbing uncontrollably for four hours in the backseat of my car as I realize that the world is a meaningless pit of despair without even the vaguest imitation of purpose, and having lunch. As long as we're going for thrilling adventures, let's ride along to the thrill-a-minute stylings of this week's WRUP, complete with the planned escapades of the Massively staff over the weekend. And we're also talking about whether or not we like our regularly scheduled adventures in the form of daily quests. So check out our plans after the break, and let us know what you'll be up to over the weekend in the comments. Continue reading WRUP: Yes, I have a Twitter now edition WRUP: Yes, I have a Twitter now edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: How do you kill off your characters? Posted: 16 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Roleplaying, Miscellaneous, Sandbox Indie sandbox Origins of Malu plans to feature a very unusual PvP mode: a permadeath PvP duel system. Characters who voluntarily duel under this system -- and lose -- will be erased from the game. Forever! Massively's staff roleplayers are divided on whether or not this feature will ever see much use, though. While most of us think it's an awesome system that will provide some spectacular entertainment, others of us have argued that it takes a lot of courage for MMO gamers, so used to investing time and money into their avatars, to kill off a character permanently. It won't be easy finding another roleplaying duelist who's both capable of putting up a good fight and willing to risk his own hide. Plus, wouldn't it be weird if every single RPer who wanted to off a toon did so in a gladiatorial duel to the death? There are so many other dramatic ways to end a character's story! And that brings us to today's Daily Grind: How do you kill off your characters? Do you go for climactic in-game events? Do you field "can I have ur stuff" requests? Do you delete silently and never look back to avoid future temptation? Or do you cancel your accounts and let your characters slumber peacefully, awaiting your someday return?  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 do you kill off your characters? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Free Realms prepares for The Gloam Invasion, teases Sunstone Valley Posted: 15 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Free Realms, Kids, Family Rally yourselves, Free Realms players; the Shrouded Glade is under attack! In the latest update to Sony Online Entertainment's kid-friendly F2P title, players are tasked with assisting the nature-loving Shrouded Glade Druids and the technological Sunstone Dwarves in the reclamation of their home from the threat of the Gloam, which is warping the glade's former inhabitants into hostile creatures. After players have had ample time to fight back the Gloam in the Shrouded Glade, players will be rewarded with a bit of a respite in the bright and sunny home of the Dwarves, Sunstone Valley. The dusty crags of Sunstone will bring myriad new activities for players, such as fighting in the Rumbledome, exploring the wilderness, or just relaxing at a shady oasis. To get an early look at the two new additions, check out the Free Realms official site. Free Realms prepares for The Gloam Invasion, teases Sunstone Valley originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Betawatch: June 9 - 15, 2012 Posted: 15 Jun 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, MMO industry, Massively Meta, Betawatch, Miscellaneous This week, Divina joined our open beta list, while Universal Monsters Online, Dragon Knights and Maestia have been etched onto the closed beta roster. Don't forget to nab your chance at a DUST 514 beta key and jump into this weekend's The Secret World beta test! Longtime Betawatchers will notice that starting tonight, we've redefined how we categorize MMOs in testing. Many of the games we used to list have now been deemed to have soft-launched, cleaning up the column for those players interested in following games actually in testing! Check out the new Betawatch roundup behind the cut. Continue reading Betawatch: June 9 - 15, 2012 Betawatch: June 9 - 15, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Max Schafer claims Diablo III was originally an MMO Posted: 15 Jun 2012 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous It always requires you to be online. It lets friends drop in, often without warning, to take part in whatever you're doing. It has an elaborate auction house, complete with microtransactions. Diablo III isn't an MMO, but in the eyes of many fans, it certainly seems to be aping the style of MMOs, and whether or not that's a good thing depends on your point of view. But according to recent statements from Runic Games co-founder Max Schafer, that's no accident, as many years ago, the game was an MMO. Schafer states that prior to his departure, the team was essentially aiming at doing for the Diablo franchise what World of Warcraft did to the Warcraft franchise. Changes in upper management prompted Schafer's departure, and his current studio Runic Games is known for its very Diablo-like Torchlight franchise. While it's been a long time since development on a Diablo MMO was in the cards, it seems some of those roots wound up making it to launch after all. Max Schafer claims Diablo III was originally an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Storyboard: When I was the problem Posted: 15 Jun 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous I do not claim to have any sort of superhuman intellect. If I understand how people are likely to make mistakes in roleplaying and how to fix those mistakes, it's a product of having made a lot of mistakes of my own. Sometimes it's a result of failing to fix them and realizing what would have worked after the fact. And while I'll write advice on how to fix the things that you're doing wrong, I never want to give the impression that I'm preaching rather than practicing. Last week's column was all about what happens when it turns out you're the problem, and there's a J'accuse-style rant if there ever was one. In light of that, I wanted to make it very clear that there have been situations in which my character was the problem rather than some hypothetical example. And so I pulled out three of the most notable examples of places where it turns out I was causing a world of disruption within the group. Continue reading Storyboard: When I was the problem Storyboard: When I was the problem originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Darkfall client freely available on June 29th, sub fee to be reduced Posted: 15 Jun 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox Is Darkfall 2.0 inching closer to reality? It's hard to say, but Aventurine has been releasing blog updates with more frequency of late. The newest one offers further tidbits about an upcoming promotional period, including some details about pricing and gameplay. Firstly, the devs are axing Darkfall's initial client cost. The monthly subscription fee will remain, but it will be reduced from the standard $14.99 (though Aventurine hasn't revealed the final price just yet). In terms of gameplay, the devs are permanently increasing avatar skill gains. Specific details are scarce, but it's all part of the promotion that will begin on June 27th. Anyone who has ever purchased Darkfall may come back and play for free for two days. On June 29th, the aforementioned client and sub fee changes will debut, and they'll last through the release of 2.0. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!] Darkfall client freely available on June 29th, sub fee to be reduced originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Vindictus releases Episode 10, now with more dragons Posted: 15 Jun 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Events, in-game, Patches, Free-to-play, Vindictus It's double-digits patch time, and you know what that means: dragons, and lots of them. Vindictus has released Episode 10 to the public, giving players a trio of challenging dragons to take down. The ice, earth, and black dragons are all raid bosses for top-tier teams to tackle. The update also includes new metallic inner armor (read: underwear that rusts) and hair styles for the fashionably conscious. Nexon's also included the option for players to pay for a skill reset on most -- but not all -- of the characters in the game. Vindictus is currently hosting a quiz event in the game. Players are encouraged to take on the Strange Traveler and best him in a game of knowledge for select prizes. We've got a video of the new dragon fights in Episode 10 after the jump, so if you can't get enough of them scaly uber-lizards, check it out! Continue reading Vindictus releases Episode 10, now with more dragons Vindictus releases Episode 10, now with more dragons originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| ZeniMax: The Elder Scrolls Online's real-time combat 'is all pretty much new' Posted: 15 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Elder Scrolls Online If ZeniMax seems a bit defensive about The Elder Scrolls Online, you can hardly blame the company. Since its announcement this spring, the upcoming MMO has been met with a steady chorus of fan disapproval due to perceived similarities with other themepark fantasy MMOs. In a new interview with Kotaku, ZeniMax head honchos Matt Firor and Paul Sage attempt to accentuate the positive and differentiate TESO from its genre competitors. "When people sit down and play it, they'll realize it's different. Like our whole real-time combat system of blocking and dodging is all pretty much new," Firor explains. Firor also comes out swinging vis-à-vis the notion that TESO is nothing more than a World of Warcraft analog. "Making an MMO is making an MMO. I worked in the industry before World of Warcraft, so I can tell you that World of Warcraft had a lot of influences from a lot of games. Our priority is to make a great game and not to make a clone of anything," he says. ZeniMax: The Elder Scrolls Online's real-time combat 'is all pretty much new' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| New End of Nations Warfront episode looks back at E3, forward to release Posted: 15 Jun 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Events, real-world, MMO industry, New titles, News items, MMORTS If you missed E3 last week, then you also missed Trion's spectacular End of Nations booth on the show floor. Fortunately the firm has released a new episode of its Warfront series. The clip runs for about five minutes, which is plenty of time to take in the E3 sights, sounds, and a few brief interviews with Petroglyph devs who are hard at work on End of Nations. You should also check out Massively's EoN impressions if you haven't already, and stay tuned for further updates from Trion's foray into the MMORTS space. Continue reading New End of Nations Warfront episode looks back at E3, forward to release New End of Nations Warfront episode looks back at E3, forward to release originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| EA boss: SWTOR 'absolutely going to embrace' free model Posted: 15 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic There's more news incoming on the Star Wars: The Old Republic free-to-play front. Electronic Arts boss Frank Gibeau recently talked business strategy with GamesIndustry International. "We're going to be in the business from a long-term standpoint so absolutely we're going to embrace free access, free trial, ultimately some day we can move in and embrace that model," he tells the website. Gibeau also stresses that EA is "really proud of Star Wars" and "really excited about the launch." He stops short of sounding the death-knell for the subscription model, though. "I don't think subscriptions ever go away, but when you have an IP as broad as Star Wars, we're definitely going to look at opportunities to grow that business and look at different ways of bringing customers in and serving them," he says. EA boss: SWTOR 'absolutely going to embrace' free model originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| South Korea to make virtual item trade, bots illegal Posted: 15 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Legal, Diablo III Do you want to buy and sell virtual items? Do you live in South Korea? If you answered "yes" to both of those questions, you'd better get it out of your system prior to next month (or be prepared to do it illegally). A new law is being developed that will ban real money trading and block gold- and item-farming bots. The South Korean Ministry of Culture says that "the main purpose of games is for entertainment and [they] should be used for academic and other good purposes," according to a report at Eurogamer. This is bad news for gold farmers, RMT fans, and Blizzard, which has come under fire for Diablo III's real-money auction house over the past few weeks. The Ministry of Culture went on to say that RMT "contribute[s] to many problems in society, including teenage crime." South Korea to make virtual item trade, bots illegal originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft has announced that at 3:30PM pacific time on Monday the company will unveil something "you will not want to miss". The message is intentionally vague, and is written in the tricky and annoying language of "marketing". Thankfully we live in the digital age, and anonymous sources have confirmed Microsoft will allegedly unveil a line-up self-branded tablets to a captive audience in LA. Naturally Microsoft has denied to comment on these rumors, however both
As PC enthusiasts you have every right to be skeptical of OnLive as a service, but let's just say we are impressed beyond belief that it works at all. Nothing will ever beat the experience you get with a tricked out PC, however anyone who has fired up Crysis on a netbook and actually given the service a fair shake knows they've managed the impossible. It would seem Microsoft agrees, and actually considering 
