MMO News

MMO News


Fists of Fu shutting down

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 05:36 PM PDT

Fists of Fu, Outspark’s 2D martial arts brawler, will be shutting its servers down on July 13, just a month from now. No reason has been given for the shut down.

Outspark is currently working with the game’s developer to migrate the game’s database of characters to another publisher. Outspark will also be refunding parts of all Fists of Fu purchases made since March in Sparkcash, plus giving all players an additional compensation package (yet to be detailed).

Outspark also publishes Secret of the Solstice and Fiesta Online.

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Fists of Fu Gameplay Screenshot

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Dear Fu-natics,

We appreciate all the support that the Fu-natics have given Fists of Fu since we opened service.  We have enjoyed the great community you have created here at Outspark and for all of the wonderful memories shared along the way.  So it is with much sadness that we must announce that the Fists of Fu service will be closing on July 13, 2011.

We are currently in discussion with COG, the developer of Fists of Fu, on whether or not the gameplay database can or will be migrated to another publisher.  If a decision to migrate is made, we will let all players know and outline the process for migration.  However, at this time there is no immediate plan for a migration.  If this changes, we will message players to let them know.

We understand that this closure is sad news and hope that you can still find a home in the many other Outspark games available.  We are preparing a compensation package that will take into consideration the time and energy you have invested into Fists of Fu.

In addition, we will be partially compensating purchases of Fists of Fu items made from March onwards based on the following policy:
Purchases made in March 2011 will receive 20% of the Sparckash value spent.
Purchases made in April 2011 will receive 30% of the Sparkcash value spent.
Purchases made from May 2011 onwards will receive 50% of their Sparkcash value spent.

Specific details on the compensation package and other information, including redemption codes, will be sent via email by June 30, 2011. Please make sure you are receiving official emails from Outspark.

The Fists of Fu store will be closing shortly.

In addition, we would like to invite all Fists of Fu players to the Luvinia CBT.  More details will be sent via email.

Once again, we greatly appreciate all the time, effort, support, and love that Fu-natics have provided to Fists of Fu and Outspark during the life of the game, and look forward to seeing you continue your relationship with Outspark.

Alliance of Valiant Arms joins Steam

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 11:51 AM PDT

Alliance of Valiant Arms is now available to download and play through Steam. The game remains free through the Steam Shop.

Playing through Steam will let players also purchase G-Coin through Steam, play with the rest of Alliance of Valiant Arm players, and – on June 19 – get an exclusive weapon, the British L85A2.

Alliance of Valiant Arms is published by Ijji, which also publishes Soldier Front, GunZ, and Lunia.

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Alliance of Valiant Arms Gameplay Screenshot

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ijji.com's Alliance of Valiant Arms Joins Forces with Steam's Army of more than 30 Million Gamers

Valve's leading online game distribution platform ventures into free-to-play gaming with ijji.com's modern warfare first-person shooter

Irvine, Calif. – June 14, 2011 – Grab all the "boom sticks" you can, because this war is about to get much bigger . Alliance of Valiant Arms(A.V.A), ijji.com's Unreal Engine 3-powered multi-player online first-person shooter (MOFPS), will be available starting today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific via Steam, Valve®'s digital distribution platform for PC and Mac games. This partnership with ijji.com is part of Steam's initiative to support the ever-growing free-to-play gaming market, one of the fastest-growing verticals of the gaming industry – and connects A.V.A to a potential audience of 30 million Steam gamers.

"It's no secret that Steam had its biggest year-to-date in 2010, surpassing 30 million users," said Sirgoo Lee, CEO of NHN USA, which operates ijji.com. "So when we started discussing how to expand A.V.A's scope, we found that Steam was the perfect digital platform for us. From the beginning, we set out to make A.V.A the highest-quality and most engaging MOFPS possible. Steam's services will help us reach a new audience and bolster A.V.A's great community."

Alliance of Valiant Arms is fully integrated with Steamworks, a first for a free-to-play game. As part of the integration, gamers can purchase G-Coin, A.V.A's virtual currency for premium items, through the Steam store. Steam also offers cross-platform play, allowing Steam users the ability to play Alliance of Valiant Arms with those who play the game directly through ijji.com's portal. Steam will feature Alliance of Valiant Arms on Sunday, June 19, 2011 with an exclusive in-game item – the British L85A2 rifle, for all users who play the game that day.

In A.V.A, modern warfare hits combat zones around the globe where a formidable battle has broken out between the EU and the NRF.  Players are tasked with picking a side and squaring off in an unprecedented battle amongst skyscrapers and deserted city blocks.  With the signature quick-fragging action of the Unreal Engine 3, combat escalates quickly and tensions run high as players anticipate a bloody clash around every corner.  Europe has yet to see more ominous missions or relentless enemies as seen on the streets of Alliance of Valiant Arms.

Alliance of Valiant Arms was developed by Redduck and licensed to ijji.com for North American and European distribution by Neowiz Games. For more information about Alliance of Valiant Arms, please visit http://www.ava.ijji.com.

New character joins Mini Fighter

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 11:34 AM PDT

Mini Fighter Online has added a new character – Tom, the Muay Thai Master.

To celebrate, from June 14 until July 7, players who obtain a Tom character card (through card fusion or through the Random Box) can get the Muay Thai Master, a one-day item that offers a cosmetic sign of your Muay Thai prowess behind your character. This item can be earned once a day. Other new items have arrived in the game’s shops.

Mini Fighter is published by Netmarble, which also publishes Uncharted Waters Online.

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Mini Fighter Online Gameplay Screenshot

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MMO Brawler Mini Fighter gets New Challenger: Tom the Muay Thai Legend

Muay Thai Master Bonus Event starts today!

SEOUL, South Korea – June 14, 2011

CJ E&M Games today introduced Tom, a new character for Mini Fighter, the free-to-play online multiplayer sensation that combines fighting and role-playing elements for an exhilarating experience. A master of the "Art of Eight Limbs," Tom is a ferocious challenger with a penchant for lightning-quick strikes. To celebrate his arrival, players can participate in the Muay Thai Master Bonus Event to receive special upgrades. Meet Tom and join the battle today in this side-scrolling brawler!

Skilled in Muay Thai, Tom is a formidable fighter prepared to take on the challenges that await him. Since he was a boy, Tom has idolized the legendary warrior Nai Khanom Tom, even naming himself after him. Through a lifetime of hard work and training, Tom has become an experienced warrior of Muay Thai. With a steel-strong body and furious flying kicks, Tom is a formidable fighter. His flawless techniques allow him to subdue enemies with ease, while his dazzling looks charm the ladies.

Muay Thai Master Event: June 14th to July 7th
To promote the new character, CJ E&M Games is hosting an exciting promotion via their popular gaming portal, Netmarble. From June 14th to July 7th, players will receive Muay Thai Master after obtaining a Tom character card, either through card fusion or by purchasing a Random Box. Muay Thai Master is a unique 1-day item that makes a sign appear behind your character, demonstrating to others that you are a master of Muay Thai.

In addition, the 6-Star Dungeon Set has been updated in Camila's Gold Shop.

To accept the Mini Fighter challenge and battle your way to the top, please visit http://global.netmarble.com/minifighter
Watch Tom’s video trailer on Facebook
Learn more about Tom

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Massively's E3 2011 awards and impressions

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Every June, the Electronic Entertainment Expo rolls into the Los Angeles Convention Center to showcase the best of the best in video games and accessories.

This year, we had more staff members on hand than ever, which allowed us more coverage from the floor and more hands-on time with the demos. As with last year's awards, we're happy to present the best of the best, straight from those of us who were there. Award categories include Best Booth, Best Trailer, Best Newcomer, MMO of the Show and Most Anticipated Project. Plus, we decided to say a few additional words about some categories that weren't awarded, like Best Presentation, Biggest Surprise, and Best of the Rest.

So follow along after the gallery for more on what we thought of E3 2011.

Continue reading Massively's E3 2011 awards and impressions

MassivelyMassively's E3 2011 awards and impressions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do the shopping cart: Prius Online opens item shop

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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Prius Online is taking another step toward full-fledged release, as gPotato opened the doors to an in-game item shop today. As with many free-to-play titles, Prius Online will chug along under the power of microtransactions from shop purchases.

The item shop will hold an attractive array of fun and useful goods, ranging from costumes to mounts to all manner of helpful trinkets. To celebrate the shop's opening, Prius Online is handing out a free Leaf of Oblivion to players who log in between June 15th and 19th. The Leaf is capable of resetting one's skill points -- including your initial job choice -- in order to respec into a better build.

Prius Online went into open beta earlier this month, and any interested parties can check the game out by visiting the website and signing up!

MassivelyDo the shopping cart: Prius Online opens item shop originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott to deliver Game Developers Conference Europe keynote

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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Are you planning to venture to the wilds of Europe for the upcoming Game Developers Conference Europe? If so, you're in for a treat, as the father of Ultima will be delivering the keynote speech. That's right, the one and only spacefaring game developer Richard Garriott will give a presentation at the conference discussing social gaming, its future, and what mark it may leave on the gaming industry as a whole.

Garriott is perhaps known best for being the creator of the Ultima series (and the victim of assassination in the early days of Ultima Online), but his most recent foray in the industry came in the form of Portalarium, a social gaming company. As Frank Sliwka, event director of GDC Europe, notes that "there are few developers with Richard Garriott's history, pedigree and vantage point, having been a defining force in the realm of traditional hardcore games, birthing the RPG and MMORPG genres, to now helping lead the way within the world of social games," so the speech will almost certainly be enlightening for anyone with an interest in the subject. GDC Europe will be taking place from August 15-17, so if you're looking to make the journey to gaming mecca, go ahead and start making plans!

MassivelyRichard Garriott to deliver Game Developers Conference Europe keynote originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eden Eternal rides into open beta today

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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It's been mere days since Eden Eternal kicked off its closed beta, but they say that rolling stones gather no digital moss, so Aeria Games is shifting the game into open beta status starting today. The servers should be open later today at 10:00 pm EDT, although eager beaver players can go ahead and patch up the game now.

The open beta will be accompanied by a new patch, although the devs won't have open beta rewards added to the game until next week. To help get the word out about the beta, Aeria Games is sponsoring an Eden Eternal "Signature Invasion" that could net you some nifty in-game items if you participate.

So far, this colorful MMO has proven popular in the beta circuit, and if you're curious what we thought about it, make sure to check out our first impressions from last week!

Gallery: Eden Eternal

MassivelyEden Eternal rides into open beta today originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Does PS3 exclusivity affect your enthusiasm for DUST 514?

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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Raise your hand if you saw last week's DUST 514 PS3 announcement coming. Given the lack of hands waving about, we can only surmise that you lot were as surprised as we were. While internet speculation has attributed CCP's decision to the perceived difficulties in bringing an Xbox Live MMO to market (as well as the PS3's superior hardware), the reality is that it doesn't matter at this point.

What does matter is player reaction to the news, and when we say player, we mean EVE Online veterans and curious bystanders alike. For today's Daily Grind, tell us your thoughts about CCP's New Eden-based shooter. If you've got a PS3, will you be playing DUST? If you don't have one, do you plan to get one now? In short, how does the Sony exclusivity impact your decision to try the game?

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: Does PS3 exclusivity affect your enthusiasm for DUST 514? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV's latest producer's letter shows off auto-attacks

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 07:00 PM PDT

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It probably feels like it's past time for another Final Fantasy XIV letter from producer Naoki Yoshida, but the wait is finally over. In the latest installment of what's become a regular dispatch from the company to the fans, Yoshida discusses the upcoming changes and additions due for patch 1.18. But rather than waste space describing what the updates to the game's battle system will be like with the inclusion of auto-attack, Yoshida instead opts to show players with a short video demonstrating the system in action.

The one piece of bad news in the letter is that the patch is going to run a bit later due to the extra balance issues introduced, overshooting the previously stated window of mid to late June. Yoshida estimates a roughly two-week delay, putting the patch in early July. Still, Final Fantasy XIV players should be happy with the contents of the letter, especially the preview of auto-attack combat (embedded just past the break).

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIV's latest producer's letter shows off auto-attacks

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV's latest producer's letter shows off auto-attacks originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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APB gives closed beta testers in-game appreciation packs

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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All Points Bulletin: Reloaded beta testers, lately you've been working hard to make San Paro a better, more bullet-riddled place. The folks at GamersFirst recognize your dedication and announced today that they would be sending out a small in-game thank-you package to show their appreciation for their closed beta testers.

The Closed Beta Appreciation Package arms APB players with a shiny new JG 840 Lifetime shotgun that "will quickly rip a target apart at short range," making it a lovely gift for anyone who likes to be up in the thick of battle. Also included in the package is an additional character slot and a unique air guitar emote, so you can shred the strings while you shred your enemies. The studio also notes that it's working to give additional recognition to veterans in the future, and it will let players know when that feature is implemented.

MassivelyAPB gives closed beta testers in-game appreciation packs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online services restored

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 05:45 PM PDT

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We reported earlier today about a DDOS attack launched against the EVE Online servers, but we have good news for the game's players. After a prolonged outage, the servers are back online, with an official update from CCP's COO. According to the update, the team is continuing to monitor the situation closely, but at this time it does not appear that there was any breach of the company's infrastructure nor any risk of personal data being leaked.

As noted in the letter, the shutdown was an immediate reaction to the threat of any security breach, taken in the hopes of staving off any serious threats to the game or its players. The company apologizes to players affected by the downtime as well as the lack of any subsequent notification, but most EVE Online players will just be happy that the game is back online and should remain so barring any unforeseen complications.

MassivelyEVE Online services restored originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: True Fantasy Live Online

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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As an extremely amateur historian -- and an extremely attractive archaeologist -- I've always been fascinated with the "what ifs" of gaming's timeline. What if Blizzard had pulled the plug on World of Warcraft during development as it did for Warcraft Adventures? What if Hellgate: London had a lot more time and resources before it launched? What if North America had embraced the free-to-play model much earlier instead of the subscription model? What if Shawn came to his senses before he hired me?

Life would've been a lot better. Or worse. That's the problem with counterfactual history: We can make educated guesses, but we'll never really know. While it's sad to see MMOs shut down due to underperformance, it's especially maddening to contemplate MMOs canceled before they even made it to the starting gate. In a new periodic series here at The Game Archaeologist, I'm going to look at a few of the "what ifs" of prematurely terminated MMORPGs.

And to kick us off, I'm tackling probably one of the most frustrating, painful subjects that still linger amongst potential fans. I'm talking, of course, of True Fantasy Live Online, the game that could've shown the true potential of console MMOs. Or, y'know, not.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: True Fantasy Live Online

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: True Fantasy Live Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Community Detective Issue #24: Need for Speed World

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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Thus far, Community Detective has stayed on the straight and narrow course of fantasy MMORPGs during its brief existence. Sure, I've taken the occasional detour into sci-fi, superhero, and quasi-historical territory, but the majority of the column's first 23 issues were -- like the genre itself -- largely concerned with sorcerers, scantily-clad he-men, and sword-related violence.

This week I'd like to break out of that mold for a bit and examine a title based in the real world (or more accurately, Electronic Arts' approximation of the real world). To borrow a quote from dear old '80s cinema: I feel the need, the Need for Speed World.

Continue reading Community Detective Issue #24: Need for Speed World

MassivelyCommunity Detective Issue #24: Need for Speed World originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steam now offering F2P MMOs

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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Digital downloads and free-to-play MMORPGs are a match made in heaven, and so it's only natural that the largest purveyor of the former is teaming up with several of the latter to embed both movements further into the collective gaming psyche. Steam is now offering F2P MMOs as part of its on-demand gaming service, and titles as diverse as Global Agenda, Forsaken World, and Spiral Knights are joining the party.

So what, right? These games have always been free to download from their respective websites, haven't they? Well, yes, but Steam is offering exclusive in-game items (beginning tomorrow with Spiral Knights), and of course there's the ever-present achievement collection to consider. Boot up your Steam client and click the giant free-to-play banner, or head to the service's official website for more details.

MassivelySteam now offering F2P MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: It just keeps going and going and going

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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Today's One Shots comes courtesy of yours truly as a little homage to Massively's Guild Wars guild, Massively Overpowered. The guild started a little over a year ago as a way for Massively readers to have a ready-made party to play with, and it wound up taking off like a rocket. Since the guild -- and its alliance -- is still going strong and having fun, here's a pic of some of those members who were there from day one!

Are you ready to show off your guild? Gather up your best group shots of you and your guildmates. Whether you're hanging out, enjoying guild housing, taking out a huge enemy, or throwing a party, send a screenshot of your guild in action to oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game, and tell us about your guild!

MassivelyOne Shots: It just keeps going and going and going originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: Just how mobile was E3?

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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E3 is a massive, loud conglomeration of lights, people, and stress. I spent most of my time there walking from one end to another, trying to find a certain booth or meeting room. Luckily for me, I am in pretty good shape and felt just fine the entire time, despite the fact that I had little to eat, and worse yet, little water. At home I drink water non-stop... no soda, no coffee. Still, it was a blast. Working like that really makes a tiny reporter like yours truly feel wonderful. Conversations with developers can be very, very interesting if games are what you love.

And there were games. A ton of games. A bunch. A lot. Even then, I knew the feeling that was coming over me, the familiar feeling of stumbling into a toy store or comic shop to look for goodies. I was in hog heaven but needed to find my particular fix. I needed indie, tiny or strange games. Games that ran on a toaster but worked well, browser games that would impress me, or phone games that would continue to destroy the idea that immersive, fun gameplay cannot be done on a portable device.

Did I find what I was looking for? Oh, hell yes I did. Click past the cut and I will tell you all about it.

Continue reading MMObility: Just how mobile was E3?

MassivelyMMObility: Just how mobile was E3? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online server offline due to DDOS attack

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 12:30 PM PDT

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Just over an hour ago, the EVE Online login and website servers became unresponsive and went offline. A Twitter user purporting to represent the group responsible for the major PSN outage earlier this month is claiming credit for the EVE server outage. According to the user, the DDOS is part of a series of attacks today that has also shut down the Minecraft login servers and The Escapist magazine's website.

CCP released an update on Facebook and Twitter stating that the issue is currently under investigation. "EVE Online and related services are currently offline and will return as soon as possible following investigation of some issues." CCP was unable to comment further on the outage but urges players to watch the EVE Facebook and Twitter feeds for further updates as they become available.

MassivelyEVE Online server offline due to DDOS attack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: A violent scene

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

When Star Trek Online was first released, it had more than its fair share of critics, and one of the chief complaints was the fact that the game seemed to focus largely upon combat. Sure, Star Trek had always featured combat, but it had also featured negotiation and diplomacy and unknowable phenomena alongside human drama. The idea that the entire universe could be pared down to ships and ground teams firing disruptor beams at one another didn't sit well with a sizable portion of the fanbase.

Of course, Star Trek Online is hardly the only culprit. MMOs have always had a heavy focus on combat as far back as Ultima Online -- the PvP that people look back on with fond memories wasn't a game of cards, after all. Sometimes it can seem as if we have a sea of games with nothing to them except fighting and killing things, without any other meaningful interactions with the world. In a genre that offers us such a wonderful tool for social interaction, why are our games so violent?

As it turns out, for a lot of very good reasons.

Continue reading The Soapbox: A violent scene

MassivelyThe Soapbox: A violent scene originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: Find the Force

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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With E3 last week, I really considered devoting this article to opinions regarding the latest news for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Then I realized that Massively already published a ton of SWTOR related articles about E3 this week. During the show itself, Dan gave his impressions of playing the game, and all four of our attendees delivered impressions yesterday. It's good to read impressions from people who love MMOs but aren't necessarily die-hard fans of BioWare or Star Wars -- you'll get a different perspective than you would reading this column.

So instead, this week I'll examine the announced abilities for the Jedi Consular class. The majority of this information stems from the advanced class page, but there is a little bit that comes from MMORPG's interview with Georg Zoeller. Hop past the break as we explore the abilities of this powerful Force-user.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Find the Force

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Find the Force originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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