MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Perfect Ten: Strategies for juggling multiple MMOs

Posted: 19 Apr 2014 10:00 AM PDT

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Among my friends, I have a reputation for being "that guy who plays all the games." People are constantly asking me how I manage to handle so many MMOs simultaneously on top of work and family, as if I've managed to clone myself or I never sleep. The truth is far more mundane: Work and family get top priority with my time, and what I have left for gaming is simply spent wisely.

The thing is that I'm just always enamoured with so many MMOs that I can't just play one and nothing else. I have to be a "juggler:" a player who balances online worlds. With limited time at my disposal and a desire to be in three or four MMOs at any given time, I've done a lot of experimenting with different ways to juggle titles.

There is no one best way, I've found. It depends on how "fair" you want to be to your MMOs and whether it's a priority to you to give each of them more or less the same attention and time. Each of the following strategies has pros and cons, and if you're trying to handle two or more titles, you're simply going to need to figure out what works best for you and your allotment of time.

Continue reading Perfect Ten: Strategies for juggling multiple MMOs

MassivelyPerfect Ten: Strategies for juggling multiple MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    WRUP: Oversaturation

    Posted: 19 Apr 2014 08:00 AM PDT

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    Hearthstone
    Welcome back to Massively's What Are You Playing, the game where we tell you what we're playing this weekend and you try to convince us that what the genre needs next is a zombie MMOTCG or possibly a zombie MOBA. With motorcycles. And then we make this froggy face at you.

    Continue reading WRUP: Oversaturation

    MassivelyWRUP: Oversaturation originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: What naming restrictions do you approve of?

      Posted: 19 Apr 2014 06:00 AM PDT

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      WildStar
      A recent beta patch in WildStar included several changes to its naming rules. Numbers in names are out but special characters are in. I'm really not a huge fan of most special characters because they're used to circumvent the fact that your desired name was chosen and so you're going to create a similar-looking name that will be all but impossible for your friends and guildies to type.

      Of course, in some games this isn't a problem because players can pick any name they like as long as it's attached to their permanent handle. But that's got its pros and cons too.

      What naming restrictions do you approve of? Personally, I wish all MMOs allowed for first and last names, since this usually solves the problem of taken names while increasing variety. I also don't know how prevalent "leet-speak" is these days to necessitate the removal of numbers.

      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!

      MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What naming restrictions do you approve of? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Skyforge posts Q&A on character development and more

        Posted: 18 Apr 2014 07:00 PM PDT

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        The Skyforge team today selected and answered 10 community questions on the official forums ranging from "when's beta" (effective answer: no comment) to "how will names work" (answer: given name plus surname). Perhaps the most interesting tidbits focused on character development: The team confirmed that you can switch classes on the fly "whenever you like" and that because of this mechanic, you're unlikely to need alts. Moreover, says the team, "character progression in the game is not level based," and "players will always have ways to advance their characters further."

        The free-to-play sci-fantasy MMORPG's full Q&A is available on the official forums. The developers have promised to post more answers every two weeks.

        [Thanks to Paul for the tip!]

        MassivelySkyforge posts Q&A on character development and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Apr 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Betawatch: April 12 - 18, 2014

        Posted: 18 Apr 2014 06:00 PM PDT

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        Betawatch
        This week, Trion expanded Trove's "adventurer" supporter tier, which costs $20, to include instant access to the game's ongoing alpha test. What else is new in the world of MMO betas this round?
        • Shards posted a survey for hopeful alpha test candidates (thanks, Siphaed!).
        • WildStar showed off new body customization options in its latest round of beta.
        • Face of Mankind's open beta begins... today!
        • Swordsman joins our list with its closed beta signups.
        • Archlord 2 opened its closed beta registration earlier this week.
        • Landmark implemented a major building patch for its beta.
        • We streamed Origins of Malu's alpha with the developer team.
        • Icarus Online's Korean open beta got a video preview.
        • HEX announced its closed beta will begin on April 23rd.
        • Monkey King Online soft-launched into open beta.
        • CasinoRPG, which does call itself an MMORPG, officially moved from beta to launch on April 16th.
        Read on for the complete Betawatch roundup!

        Continue reading Betawatch: April 12 - 18, 2014

        MassivelyBetawatch: April 12 - 18, 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Apr 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Camelot Unchained dishes on design progress, racial lore

          Posted: 18 Apr 2014 05:00 PM PDT

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          Camelot Unchained
          City State Entertainment's Mark Jacobs has been a busy bee over on the Camelot Unchained blog today, delivering two posts about the game. The first discusses the world editor and progress on the programming front. Writes Jacobs,
          We've kicked it up a notch with our combat system. We've now got character stats in the game. We've got more interesting abilities that can apply buffs and debuffs and affect your character's stats. Active effects on the character are passed to the UI layer so you can see what effects are active on your character. Abilities are saved to the database and updates can be pushed straight to the Live or Stable server. Cooldowns are in place and can affect one or more abilities.
          The second blog post includes new concept art and a lengthy lore piece on the Caretakers of the Tuatha De Danann. Enjoy both on the official site.

          MassivelyCamelot Unchained dishes on design progress, racial lore originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Apr 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Dark Age of Camelot plans character transfer service and new art

          Posted: 18 Apr 2014 04:00 PM PDT

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          DAoC
          Dark Age of Camelot's grab bag -- written by Sir Grabford B. Bagsworth III Esq., no less -- is back, and at the top of the most pressing questions is the issue of character transfers. Broadsword said that these are indeed in the works: "We would like to provide the opportunity to allow consolidation. This will be among the many updates and upgrades to the Broadsword account center that is currently underway. Currently, it's planned as a premium service -- but there are no details on the prices as yet."

          Broadsword mentions how art improvements have been going in the game following the studio's acquisition of DAoC. "We have renewed investment in this area, and we're really excited about updating art for various features in DAoC. Things we're currently discussing are: fixes for art-related bugs, new maps, UI skins, new items, monsters, and more!"

          Other topics in the grab bag include the return of in-game surveys, the status of the new website, and details of the next patch. The studio teased that it will be adding "a new long-term live event with a very cool surprise" with the update.

          MassivelyDark Age of Camelot plans character transfer service and new art originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Apr 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Hands-on with Windborne's early access

          Posted: 18 Apr 2014 03:00 PM PDT

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          Screenshot -- Windborne
          The breakout success of Minecraft has inspired a slew of creative sandbox games since its release in 2011, and the trend has shown no signs of dying down given the ever-increasing number of sandbox titles hitting the market. Hidden Path Entertainment's in-development title Windborne is certainly one such game, and at first glance one might be tempted to write it off as a clone of Mojang's golden child, but that would be more than a little disingenuous.

          The folks at Hidden Path were generous enough to provide me with a key to get some hands-on experience with Windborne, but I'd like to make special mention of the fact that the game is currently part of Steam's Early Release program, which of course means that it's still unfinished and under constant development. With that in mind, I dived into Windborne's world of mystical floating islands, and I've got more than a few thoughts about the game, where it's going, and where it needs to be.

          Continue reading Hands-on with Windborne's early access

          MassivelyHands-on with Windborne's early access originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Apr 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Ascent: The Space Game on building a better sci-fi sandbox

            Posted: 18 Apr 2014 02:00 PM PDT

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            Ascent
            You'd be forgiven for not having heard of Ascent: The Space Game before. EVE Online is the sci-fi sandbox dominating headlines, and Star Citizen and other upcoming games are breathing down its neck. Is there room in the genre for, well, an indie space MMO that isn't all about cutthroat politics or hardcore ganking?

            James Hicks, the founder and CEO of Fluffy Kitten Studios and the man behind Ascent, says yes. He took the time this week to answer our questions about his already-playable-but-still-in-development game in deep detail, focusing on the game's complexity, player feedback, business model, mechanics, and how Ascent can truly expand the genre.

            Continue reading Ascent: The Space Game on building a better sci-fi sandbox

            MassivelyAscent: The Space Game on building a better sci-fi sandbox originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Apr 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Check out WildStar's new body customization options

              Posted: 18 Apr 2014 01:00 PM PDT

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              WildStar
              Earlier this month we discovered that Carbine was planning to add additional (as in "more than one") body types for each race and gender in WildStar. The changes are in with this weekend's beta test update, and YouTube sensation and friend of Massively Richie "BogOtter" Procopio made a 21-minute video looking at all of the new options for characters.

              He's got the video broken down into sub-sections, so if you want to skip to a certain race/gender combo, you can do so. He also includes the new hairstyles that went in with the patch. Give the video a watch after the break and let us know whether Carbine did a good job with these additions or not!

              Continue reading Check out WildStar's new body customization options

              MassivelyCheck out WildStar's new body customization options originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Apr 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Atlantica Online gets new class, dungeons, and more

              Posted: 18 Apr 2014 12:00 PM PDT

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              Atlantica Online Celestial Hunter
              Nexon has added new dungeons, a new merc, and a new class to Atlantica Online. The Empires of Gold update boasts dungeons including the Forgotten City of Chichen Itza, Machu Picchu, the Golden City of El Dorado, and the Gold Empire of Defense.

              Atlantica's new class is the Celestial Hunter, "a fierce archer who can best any challenger with her bow and arrow skills."

              We've embedded the update trailer for you after the break!

              Continue reading Atlantica Online gets new class, dungeons, and more

              MassivelyAtlantica Online gets new class, dungeons, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Apr 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              MMORPG News

              MMORPG News


              General: This Weekend Easter Festivities Abound

              Posted: 18 Apr 2014 11:28 PM PDT

              This Weekend Easter Festivities Abound

              Springtime means only one thing in MMO terms - Easter-themed activities. This weekend, our favorite MMOs have made sure we'll have fun things to do once the colored eggs are all found and the chocolate bunnies are all eaten.

              ArcheAge: Livestream 3: Class Crafting

              Posted: 18 Apr 2014 11:40 PM PDT

              Livestream 3: Class Crafting

              Trion Worlds held another live stream, this time with Producer Victoria "FireCait" Voss and Community Manager Evan "Scapes" Berman discussing the game's combat classes and crafting skills. In case you missed it, here it is for your viewing pleasure.

              Infinite Crisis: Ryan Bednar on All Things Infinite Crisis

              Posted: 18 Apr 2014 01:06 AM PDT

              Ryan Bednar on All Things Infinite Crisis

              Turbine was out in force at this year's PAX East. The team was showing off its latest project, Infinite Crisis, a new F2P MOBA based on the DC Comics multiverse. We had a chance to sit down with lead designer Ryan Bednar at the show and pick his brain on all things Infinite Crisis.

              Star Wars: The Old Republic: Boston Cantina Tour and Jack Wood Interview

              Posted: 16 Apr 2014 06:12 PM PDT

              Boston Cantina Tour and Jack Wood Interview

              This past Friday, BioWare sent a team from Star Wars: the Old Republic to Boston to meet with players, answer questions, and give out swag. In attendance from Austin were Community Manager Eric Musco, Community Specialist Courtney Woods, Producer Jack Wood, and Development Director Matt Hemby, with a surprise appearance by Lead Writer Charles Boyd and Senior Director of Marketing DebySue Wolfcale.

              Fortnite: Action Building Game Classes & More

              Posted: 18 Apr 2014 01:32 PM PDT

              Action Building Game Classes & More

              The Fortnite team has been busy over at GameInformer.com by revealing three of the game's classes: The Commando, Ninja and Constructor. Fortnite allows players to reclaim and rebuild their homeland that has been taken by something known as The Storm.

              WildStar: The Gaffer Speaks - Part 2

              Posted: 16 Apr 2014 05:42 PM PDT

              The Gaffer Speaks - Part 2

              Over the weekend at PAX East, we at MMORPG.com managed to snag an interview with one of the busiest people on the show floor, Carbine Studios' head honcho Jeremy Gaffney, aka the Gaffer. Given that a number of WildStar's biggest fans were unable to attend the convention, I thought it would be cool to reach out to them and other fans who were present to gather up some questions for the Gaffer, to truly make it more of a community interview rather than a standard press interview.

              WildStar: Jeff Kurtenacker Talks Nexus Music This Friday!

              Posted: 16 Apr 2014 09:52 AM PDT

              Jeff Kurtenacker Talks Nexus Music This Friday!

              While our team spoke to the developers at PAX East, we've also arranged for an exclusive interview with game composer Jeff Kurtenacker. This Friday, at 4pm Eastern time (1pm PT), join us on www.mmorpg.com/streams.cfm as we stream an interview with WildStar's maestro while he takes us on a magical musical tour of his creations from within the beta itself. We'll be discussing his career and the process for how he composes for the world of Nexus.

              Atlantica Online: New Class, Mercenary & Dungeons Added in Latest Update

              Posted: 18 Apr 2014 11:09 AM PDT

              New Class, Mercenary & Dungeons Added in Latest Update

              Nexon has announced the deployment of the latest update to Atlantica Online. Called "Empires of Gold", the update brings four sprawling new dungeons, Quilla the Incan mercenary, and the new Celestial Hunter Hero Class into the game.

              Landmark: Air, Glass, and Upkeep Sass

              Posted: 16 Apr 2014 06:18 PM PDT

              Air, Glass, and Upkeep Sass

              In today's Landmark column, we'll be discussing part of the recent Landmark Live show, which introduced two new features into the game, as well as talking for a short while about the game's upkeep system, which some of my friends online have noted can use a bit of discussion: the nature of upkeep for player housing.

              WildStar: Rowsdower Plushie Giveaway!

              Posted: 18 Apr 2014 11:31 AM PDT

              Rowsdower Plushie Giveaway!

              Everyone's favorite fluffy recurring character, the Rowsdower, has been subject to incredible abuse at the hands of the evil Stephan 'the Brofessional' Frost. After watching Frost blow up a whole army of Rowsdowers, WildStar fans had enough and petitioned Carbine for a Rowsdower plushie in hopes the proceeds would serve as a sufficient bribe to get Frost to cease the abuse. Also, Rowsdowers were in need of hugs, lots of hugs!

              General: End of My MMO Monogamy

              Posted: 16 Apr 2014 08:39 PM PDT

               End of My MMO Monogamy

              I'm faced with a dilemma. For the first time that I can remember I have access to two MMORPGs that I don't want to put down. In the past I have always lost interest in one MMO before I became interested in another. What it reduces down to is I'm a serial monogamist when it comes to MMORPGs. Or at least I was.

              Bound by Flame: Wide Variety of Characters Shine in New Screens

              Posted: 18 Apr 2014 08:45 AM PDT

              Wide Variety of Characters Shine in New Screens

              The Bound by Flame team has release five brand new screenshots to show the breadth of character customization in the game that is set to be released on multiple platforms on May 9th.

              Trove: Help Choose the Next Biome

              Posted: 18 Apr 2014 08:34 AM PDT

              Help Choose the Next Biome

              The Trove team has taken to Reddit to solicit user input into the next biome to enter the game. Players are invited to write up a few ideas, create a few visuals and the team will cull through them and work with the community to pick the perfect one. Submissions will be taken through Monday, April 21st.

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