Massively Rewind: New DCUO DLC, Aion gets mech suits, and WildStar's news frenzy Posted: 24 Jan 2014 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Video, MMO Industry, News Items, Opinion, Massively Meta, Humor, Miscellaneous, MMORPG, Massively Rewind It's time once again for the Massively Rewind, where we round up this week's top MMO stories and deliver them to you in bite-sized chunks. It's kind of like a mother bird regurgitating a meal into its chick's mouth... except a lot less gross. For those of you who prefer the written word, don't fret; we conveniently provide links to all of the stories mentioned in the show. For example, did you know DC Universe Online has a new DLC? What about the new patch for Aion coming out next week? Or perhaps you'd just like to know all things large and small happening with WildStar right now? Continue reading Massively Rewind: New DCUO DLC, Aion gets mech suits, and WildStar's news frenzy Massively Rewind: New DCUO DLC, Aion gets mech suits, and WildStar's news frenzy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jan 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Looking for Guild: WildStar Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST |
The Stream Team: Leveling the Stalker in the WildStar beta Posted: 24 Jan 2014 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Hands-On, Livestream, WildStar, The Stream Team, Subscription, MMORPG Are you thinking of playing a stealthy assassin when WildStar releases? Do you prefer engaging the enemy from the shadows over an obvious frontal assault? If so, get ready to check out this livestream show to see the prowling Stalker class in action. Join Massively's Richie live at 10:00 a.m. EST as he slinks, creeps, and pounces around the savannah of Deradune. Game: WildStar Host: Richie Procopio Date: Friday, January 24th, 2013 Time: 10:00 a.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Leveling the Stalker in the WildStar beta The Stream Team: Leveling the Stalker in the WildStar beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jan 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Videos produce EQN Landmark crafting details Posted: 24 Jan 2014 06:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next, Crafting, Player-Generated Content SOE has finally dished out more details about EverQuest Next Landmark's crafting system with two new videos. In the first, Lead System Designer Michael Mann spends over four minutes telling (and showing) players where they can craft, what they can craft, and how to craft. The second video gives a quick demo of the saw table crafting station. While we already knew that crafting would take place at communal crafting stations in hubs throughout the world, Mann revealed a new type that is randomly spawned in the world: altars. Altars, which create better and even unique items, are only found by exploring and will disappear after use. All players start with a small list of recipes covering beginning tools and decorations, but the bulk of recipes will need to be discovered or crafted. The crafting process has three variations: items that activate and have no variation (like potions), cosmetic items that have different appearances (like props and clothing), and items with stats (tools and such). Items with stats will utilize a relic system to increase the stats. Check out all the juicy details in the clips below. Continue reading Videos produce EQN Landmark crafting details Videos produce EQN Landmark crafting details originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jan 2014 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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RIFT's Dream Weaver is a homeowner's best friend Posted: 24 Jan 2014 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play, RIFT, Crafting Dream Weaving is not just one of many reasons to be excited about RIFT's 2.6 update, but perhaps the most exciting reason of all. Trion Worlds has a new post up about what this crafting profession entails and how it will benefit homeowners across Telara. Dream Weavers are primarily focused on creating items and effects for player dimensions, literally dreaming them into existence. To fuel their craft, Dream Weavers will need to collect and break down artifacts to draw out dream ribbons, the new crafting material that's coming with the patch. Trion says that these crafters will be able to whip up visual effects, including elements, lighting, and partical effects. Dream Weavers can also create keys to brand-new dimensions and craft Dream Orb armor enhancements that stack with runes. For more on the Dream Weaver, check out our 2.6 preview! RIFT's Dream Weaver is a homeowner's best friend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jan 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Daily Grind: Are single-server MMOs uncomfortably big? Posted: 24 Jan 2014 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous If I had my way and technology were easy, every MMO would be a single-server experience akin to EVE Online's or Champions Online's. You might never come in contact with the majority of players or ever encounter a scenario when hundreds of players gathered together, but the unified economy would be a trader's paradise, and it'd be a boon for developers, too, being easier to balance and avoiding the late-game server-merge nightmares that most MMOs eventually suffer. Best of all, you'd never have to find out your new co-worker plays your favorite game too... on another server. But there is a considerable contingent of MMO players who still balk at the idea of an MMO melting pot and tools intended to bridge servers like LFG systems or World of Warcraft's connected realms and battlegroups. Sharded server structures create tight communities, the argument goes. People don't want to deal with folks from around the world who don't speak their language, and they don't want to fade into the background of a massive server with what they perceive as no personality and no community ties or loyalty. Do you agree with that sentiment -- are single-server MMOs just uncomfortably big? Do you prefer a classic, sharded experience? 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 single-server MMOs uncomfortably big? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jan 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Stream Team: Going wild in WildStar Posted: 23 Jan 2014 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, Livestream, WildStar, Housing, The Stream Team Just because a game is in beta is no reason not to sneak in and take a look-see. You asked Massively's MJ to get in there and show off some WildStar, and she's doing just that. Just for you! Sadly, she can't join Justin to show off his humble abode because she doesn't have one of her own. But you can come help her create a new Exile character. Join us live at 9:00 p.m. to get this new adventure started. Game: WildStar Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Thursday, January 23rd, 2013 Time: 9:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Going wild in WildStar The Stream Team: Going wild in WildStar originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Here's an EVE dev diary video on Rubicon 1.1 Posted: 23 Jan 2014 05:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, EVE Online, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Sandbox, Subscription CCP released a dev diary video focused on EVE Online's Rubicon 1.1 patch today. CCP Guard is your host for a sneak peek of the content drop that will include renovated station exteriors, the Nestor class battleship, new mobile structures, capital ship wrecks, a redesigned Amarr Crucifier, and Encounter Surveillance Systems. See for yourself after the cut. Continue reading Here's an EVE dev diary video on Rubicon 1.1 Here's an EVE dev diary video on Rubicon 1.1 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Guild Counsel: Seeking a guild? Watch for these red flags Posted: 23 Jan 2014 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous Each week in this column, we explore common issues in guild management, with a focus on tips to be a successful guild leader. But this week, let's turn the tables a bit and look at things from the perspective of an unguilded player. With the rise of free-to-play in many MMOs, there's a larger pool of players from which guilds recruit. But before you take that guild invite, there are a few red flags to be wary of when joining a guild. For every good guild, there's a guild out there that makes you regret clicking that "join" button and leaves you wishing you had those misspent hours back after you leave. In this week's Guild Counsel, let's look at what to avoid when you're considering joining a guild. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Seeking a guild? Watch for these red flags The Guild Counsel: Seeking a guild? Watch for these red flags originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Star Trek Online event system to feature more rewards, less frequency Posted: 23 Jan 2014 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, PvE, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play Star Trek Online lead content designer Charles Gray says that Cryptic is revamping the sci-fi MMO's events system. "Very few of the hourly events are being played regularly," Gray explains, and Cryptic's solution is to "increase the rewards dramatically" and run the events less frequently. The announced changes are "the first step in a new system that we hope to add to," Gray says. "We will be taking a close look at how each of these events performs and community feedback -- we'll take both into account when making new events or updating existing ones." Star Trek Online event system to feature more rewards, less frequency originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Repopulation will feature both standard and PvP servers Posted: 23 Jan 2014 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, PvE, Sandbox, The Repopulation The Repopulation's going to have two distinct server rulesets when it eventually launches. Option one will be a standard PvE-focused environment with optional PvP and associated flagging mechanics. "The standard ruleset should be suitable for most types of players. You have a full compliment of resources and PvE tiers available in protected areas," explains the latest Repopulation dev diary. If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, Above & Beyond Technologies is also hosting an open PvP ruleset with corpse looting, friendly fire, and EVE-like security sector mechanics. Some of the details are still being ironed out, but you should definitely read the lengthy new dev diary that lays out the particulars for each rule set. The Repopulation will feature both standard and PvP servers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Summoner's Guidebook: Supports are ruling League of Legends Posted: 23 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Classes, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook I think Season 4 of League of Legends has been dominated by support play. Some of this is because there have been a number of really inspiring star support players at the pro level, and their brilliance is shining down a bit on us plebians. Although I think that the Season 4 jungle is still really messed up, the support role has really solidified in a good way. What do I mean by "good"? Supports still get less gold than other roles and don't generally rock huge K/D ratios. They're still the team's ward machines, as we talked a bit about last week. However, the support's overall game impact has increased dramatically. Supports get more gold than before; they are making plays, initiating fights, and making way more of an impact in those fights than they ever were before. There's no more need for a support who is an ult and ward bot; you can now tank, deal damage, or whatever mix of support you want. Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Supports are ruling League of Legends The Summoner's Guidebook: Supports are ruling League of Legends originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Field Journal: Neverwinter gonna let you down Posted: 23 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Roleplaying, Guides, Neverwinter, Player-Generated Content, MMORPG, Field Journal My original plan to talk about some of the better quests in Neverwinter's Foundry has been replaced with the burning need to rant about some of the common pitfalls in the less stellar entries. I'm not going to mention anything by name because I'm not here to shame anyone. I just need to explore some of the stupid design decisions that keep cropping up. I make no claim to great skill with the Foundry myself. I still haven't gotten around to much map decorating in my first adventure, though I did pull the trigger on publishing. (You can find it with the ID: NW-DNGJU57ID.) What I can claim is a critical eye and an understanding of what makes a good story with the tools Neverwinter gives you to tell them. There are plenty of good stories, so picking something from the featured pile will usually work out great, but when you go digging in the new and unrated adventures for hidden gems, you'll find far more rough than diamonds. Continue reading Field Journal: Neverwinter gonna let you down Field Journal: Neverwinter gonna let you down originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Guild Wars 2 announces PvP tournament schedule Posted: 23 Jan 2014 01:30 PM PST |
Defiance previews 7th Legion DLC Posted: 23 Jan 2014 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Defiance Are you ready to join an elite group of bad people-stoppers? If so, then step up to your nearest 7th Legion recruiting center, or barring that, get ready to drop some money for Defiance's third DLC that's coming soon to the game. Trion Worlds has a brief overview of the features in this DLC up on its site. The 7th Legion is an E-Rep force that's making its way to the Bay Area, and by purchasing the DLC, players will be enlisted into its ranks. The DLC includes a 7th Legion uniform, a title, additional weapons, more synergies, hybrid shields, and a brand-new type of dynamic content called incursions. The 7th Legion update will also include an overhaul to the game's chat system and should arrive sometime next month. Defiance previews 7th Legion DLC originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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EverQuest Next releases new lore ebook, Prison of Fire Posted: 23 Jan 2014 12:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, News Items, EverQuest Next, Sandbox EverQuest Next has taken a novel approach to providing fans with lore by publishing a series of ebook novellas, each focusing on a different facet of the EQN incarnation of the world of Norrath. The latest installment in this series, titled Prison of Fire, released today, and it centers on Neria Naldiir, captain of an organization known as the Ebon Dagger. As the name might not-so-subtly imply, the Ebon Dagger is the sort of organization that "handles delicate matters requiring the utmost discretion within the Takish Empire." In the novella, Dalen Naldiir -- the Empire's Minister of Security and Neria's father -- receives news that trouble may be brewing at Tagnik Vukar prison in Lavastorm, where the Empire's most dastardly criminals have been incarcerated. Sensing that something may be amiss, Dalen sends Neria and her companions to investigate, and we all know it can only go downhill from there. To read Prison of Fire -- or any of the other EQN novellas -- just click on through the link below to the game's official site. EverQuest Next releases new lore ebook, Prison of Fire originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Stream Team: Instant Stonefield adventures in RIFT Posted: 23 Jan 2014 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, PvE, RIFT, Livestream, The Stream Team Sure you could go through all of Stonefield's quests one by one or if you're short for time you can queue up for one of RIFT's instant adventures! Join Massively's Jasmine at 3:00 p.m. EST and experience everything Stonefield has to offer, only more, you know, instantaneously. Game: RIFT Host: Jasmine Hruschak Date: Thursday, January 23th, 2014 Time: 3:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Instant Stonefield adventures in RIFT The Stream Team: Instant Stonefield adventures in RIFT originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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World of Warcraft dev blog details character model revamps Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:30 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, News Items, Subscription World of Warcraft players have long been clamoring for updated character models, as many of the Vanilla races lacked the level of detail (and wrists, in the case of Humans and Orcs) seen in more recent races such as the Pandaren. In light of that, World of Warcraft's senior art director, Chris Robinson, has posted a new dev blog on the game's official site that gives players an inside look at the process behind the model redesigns, which are planned to hit the game alongside Warlords of Draenor or sometime thereafter. Robinson notes that the team is looking at the model revamps as "a sort of 'spiritual update' to the art content that currently exists in-game." So while the team is rebuilding everything from scratch, the goal is "to do so while retaining the core look and feel that has always made them your character." To give an idea of the scale of these updates, Robinson states that the team is increasing polygon count (sometimes going from "less than 1,000 to over 5,000"), "more than doubling" texture resolution, "increasing bone count significantly to support updated animation and facial expression," and even "retouching nearly every animation for all of the characters." If you want every last detail about the process (and some preview shots of the finished product), just click on over to the official post below. World of Warcraft dev blog details character model revamps originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Shroud of the Avatar enters Release 2 of early access Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Shroud of the Avatar Last month, Portalarium's upcoming crowd-funded title, Shroud of the Avatar, entered the first phase of early access for backers of the game. Now the game is winding up for Release 2 of its early access program, and players will find that a number of new features have been added since Release 1 launched in December. Included among these features are the new municipality of Kingsport, which players can explore as they please, and a bevy of quality-of-life features like a "list inventory," improved character customization, and jumping. But perhaps the most-anticipated feature of Release 2 is the introduction of crafting. The press release notes that this release includes only "the very first stages" of the game's crafting system, focusing on "refining and production for smithing, tailoring, and carpentry." Players will be able to find "more than 100 recipes" alongside chests full of crafting resources scattered throughout the game world. Other facets of the crafting system, such as resource gathering, item repair, and equipment enhancement, will be rolled out in subsequent releases. For now, though, Shroud of the Avatar backers can jump into New Britannia to check it all out for themselves while the rest of us watch and wait. [Source: Portalarium press release] Shroud of the Avatar enters Release 2 of early access originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Captain's Log Supplemental: STO's Stephen D'Angelo speaks Posted: 23 Jan 2014 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, Patches, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Captain's Log Last week we reported on the announcement that Star Trek Online has a new Executive Producer. Daniel Stahl, who held the position for the past several years, has moved on to another "secret" project at Cryptic Studios. The game's new (and returning) EP, Stephen D'Angelo, has taken the chair once again and has already posted his first blog outlining a few of his desires for the future of Star Trek Online. We had the opportunity to interview D'Angelo and ask him a few more questions about the game and what direction he sees the ship heading. Massively: Congratulations on your new position as Executive Producer of Star Trek Online! Of course, this isn't your first time in the command chair. What's the first challenge you were faced with when you finally took the seat, and how is it different from the challenges you faced the last time you were at the helm? Stephen D'Angelo: Any time there is a change in leadership, there's a period of learning how the team operates. This time it was a pretty smooth transition, with no significant challenges. I've got a great working relationship with the team, and because there was nothing eminently shipping, I was able to ramp up at a reasonable pace. The last time was much more challenging. I was given the team without warning, and it was only weeks before converting the game to free-to-play. That was a pretty mad scramble. Continue reading Captain's Log Supplemental: STO's Stephen D'Angelo speaks Captain's Log Supplemental: STO's Stephen D'Angelo speaks originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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New racing MMO looks to Kickstart its engines Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:30 AM PST Filed under: Trailers, Video, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Crowdfunding A new racing MMO has taken to Kickstarter this week. Inspired by Motor City Online and anime film Akira meets Street Rod, Hot Rod Hustle is part racing sim and part RPG set in a blended 2-D/3-D persistent world that will be accessible across multiple platforms. In HRH, players will build and race their vehicles on combined single-player and multiplayer experiences. Features include the ability to race for cash or BitCoins (iOS/Android/PC/Mac), retro mini-games, and leaderboards with worldwide rankings. Gangs (clans) and an open market are two of the project's stretch goals. For a better look under the hood, watch the introduction below. If this game sounds like a sweet ride to you, check out the official Kickstarter to help get the the project off the blocks and onto the road. Continue reading New racing MMO looks to Kickstart its engines New racing MMO looks to Kickstart its engines originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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