MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Not So Massively: How many Monkey Kings do we really need?

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Monday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Rise of Immortals, Bloodline Champions and more.

Last week we got a first look at League of Legends' upcoming champion Wukong the Monkey King and heard two awesome LoL parody songs. We also brought you the news that the price of Heroes of Newerth had dropped to $10, a deal that is currently still active and has no closing date. We got to grips with Realm of the Titans' new Titan's Eye map, HoN's latest hero Revenant, and a new tournament structure with prizes for Bloodline Champions. We also briefly introduced World of Battles: Morningstar, a fresh mix of MOBA and RTS gameplay where large armies clash on the battlefield.

In this week's Not So Massively, we reveal the closed beta date for Realm of the Titans and introduce the incredibly unlikely online game Family Guy Online. We also hear more from the Rise of Immortals team about the game's ongoing open beta, and I give my first impressions of the World of Battles: Morningstar open beta. This week seems to be an accidental Monkey King special, as both League of Legends and Heroes of Newerth reveal gameplay details of their surprisingly similar upcoming Monkey King characters. League of Legends also launched a new contest this week, offering players the chance to win prizes by writing and performing their own LoL theme songs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: How many Monkey Kings do we really need?

MassivelyNot So Massively: How many Monkey Kings do we really need? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Darkfall siege mechanics detailed

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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Aventurine has spilled the beans on Darkfall's new siege mechanics in a lengthy blog entry posted over the weekend. Producer Tasos Flambouras writes that the "new system brings substantial changes to how sieges work, and will not only eliminate issues like self-sieging, but will also make sieges a lot more strategic, profitable and interesting."

How so?

Well, for starters there's the fact that clan size now affects your ability to initiate a siege, and actions against a rival clan city will require more members than actions against a hamlet (and trial accounts won't count towards your clan size). All attacking clans will also need to pay a wager, the amount of which is affected by several variables. First up is the target city's power level, which is derived from how many buildings are in evidence. Your clan's wager will also change according to how many clans are already sieging by the time you join.

These tweaks are the tip of the proverbial iceberg, and there's much more reading material at the official Darkfall Epic Blog.

MassivelyNew Darkfall siege mechanics detailed originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-NetDevil programmer talks LEGO Universe and getting an industry job

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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Fan site MMO Fallout has an interesting interview with Stephen Calender that's worth a read. Who's Stephen Calender? He's a Flash developer who was front and center for the brouhaha that went down when The LEGO Group acquired the LEGO Universe MMO from NetDevil (putting many NetDevil programmers out of work in the process).

The interview is a wide-ranging and lengthy affair, and it features discussion on Gazillion's relationship with NetDevil, a blurb about the ill-fated Auto Assault, and of course, the bulk of the piece that focuses on the past and future of LEGO Universe. For all of the aspiring game devs in the audience, Calender also spends quite a bit of time talking about selling yourself in an increasingly competitive industry.

MassivelyEx-NetDevil programmer talks LEGO Universe and getting an industry job originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MV Guide: July 25-31, 2011

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel.

Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!

Continue reading MV Guide: July 25-31, 2011

MassivelyMV Guide: July 25-31, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Did BioWare make the right call?

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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BioWare made something of a stink last week with its decision to limit Star Wars: The Old Republic pre-orders (both in terms of total numbers and in certain regions around the world). Here at Massively, we received dozens of angry emails entreating us to take up the cause of the common gamer.

While limits on digital goods do seem a bit artificial, it's also worth noting that recent popular MMO releases were beset with server overcrowding and lengthy login queues (we're thinking of both Aion and RIFT here).

BioWare ruffled quite a few fan feathers with its actions, but from the outside looking in, it's difficult to determine what the company could have done differently. That's where you come in, and this edition of The Daily Grind is all about your reaction to Star Wars: The Old Republic pre-orders, load limits, and regional publishing. Do you think BioWare made the right call?

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: Did BioWare make the right call? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Week in Review: Post-order elation

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. Miss a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week? You've come to the right post.

Early in the week we began to get word that the Star Wars: The Old Republic pre-order was about to hit -- and lo and behold, it did. For fans desperate to get their hands on the title, knowing that there's a copy out there reserved just for them became the next best thing. Unfortunately, we also learned that not every region was to get SWTOR initially, and a few grumpy feelings ensued. Hopefully the other SWTOR news coming out of Comic-Con, such as confirmation of beta weekends in September, is enough to keep the pre-launch anticipation positive and peppy!

Hit the jump to see the rest of this past week's top stories.

Continue reading Week in Review: Post-order elation

MassivelyWeek in Review: Post-order elation originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Getting into your first PvP frigate

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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In last week's EVE Evolved, I encouraged new players to grab a few friends and charge head-first into PvP with guns blazing from day one. Whether you join a faction warfare militia, form a corp to declare war on other corporations or head out to lowsec or nullsec, starting your PvP journey is an important part of enjoying EVE.

Several readers requested help with picking a ship, putting together a viable ship fitting and finding the funding for it. So many players asked for help that this week's column is entirely dedicated to the messy business of putting together your first PvP frigate and learning to fly it. Although the ship of choice for most newbies is the agile Minmatar Rifter, each race has a range of frigates that can perform well in PvP groups with minimal skills. In this article, I'll suggest fittings for two frigates from each race that new players with as little as one day of trained skills will be able to fly.

One of the core concepts of EVE Online's PvP that often discourages new players is the idea that your ship is irreversibly destroyed when you die. While this may seem like an extremely harsh death penalty, deciding how much you risk in PvP is part of the game's tactical gameplay and even the best active PvP enthusiasts lose at least one ship per week. Death in EVE is essentially a financial loss followed by the inconvenience of having to buy and fit a new ship. Most of the financial penalty can be countered by using cheap and effective tech 1 equipment and insuring your ship, and the inconvenience of death can by bypassed by building up a stockpile of disposable PvP ships.

With that in mind, this week's absolutely massive EVE Evolved is dedicated to getting you and a few friends into your first PvP frigates after as little as one day in the game and helping you mitigate the financial loss of death.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Getting into your first PvP frigate

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Getting into your first PvP frigate originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Storyteller

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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I'm always captivated with NPC life in MMOs -- what these not-so-essential characters are doing in the background of our unbridled heroism. Here's a charming scene in Lord of the Rings Online's Hobbiton, where a matronly storyteller is spinning a yarn for two fascinated children and one sleeping slacker. My only regret is that you never hear the story; I guess that's between these characters and them alone.

This past week, Massively writers spotlighted some of their personal favorite One Shots. Starting tomorrow will be free-for-all week for you, our readers. Send any eye-catching, beautiful, scary, or generally epic screenshot to oneshots@massively.com, and we'll pick the best of the best for this week's One Shots!

MassivelyOne Shots: Storyteller originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: A Mystical Land

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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Over this last week I took a deeper look at the browser-based fantasy MMO A Mystical Land. This one even made it to my list of four games I am dying to play in 2011. Well, it has finally arrived, so I thought it would be a good time to tell you what I think about it. I spent the last week running through different areas, dying, crafting, exploring and generally having a pretty good time.

Of course, the game is not without its issues. I wanted the game to be perfect, but then knew there was no way for it live up to my expectations. It's not as though it let me down, though, and the main flaws it has can be easily fixed or tweaked.

Click past the cut and I'll tell you all about it! Check out my recorded Livestream of the game as well.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: A Mystical Land

MassivelyRise and Shiny recap: A Mystical Land originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMORPG News

MMORPG News


Shaiya: New Update Features Dungeons, Armors & New Capes

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 08:12 AM PDT

Aeria Games has announced the release of the latest update to Shaiya that features new armor, updated capes and several new dungeons for players to explore. The dungeon update brings back the Cryptic One Dungeon which contains six mini-dungeons.

Rusty Hearts: Love IS a Battlefield

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 07:26 AM PDT

A new blog post has cropped up on the official Rusty Hearts site that gives players a sneak peek at the PvP system that the game will employ. PvP will allow players to create their own "rooms" for PvP mayhem that will utilize battle modes including death match, solo and team survival, tag team, VIP mode and others.

Fallen Earth: Get Your GamersFirst Account - Before August 1st

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 02:56 PM PDT

The team at Fallen Earth is making the full transition over to GamersFirst and it's all coming to a head on August 1st, as Fallen Earth becomes one with the GamersFirst publishing platform. Players will have to sign up for a GamersFirst Account and merge their new account with their Fallen Earth account, "Voltron Style"

Star Trek Online: Dev Diary: DTNE Part 4

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 02:50 PM PDT

Over at the official Star Trek Online website, the last entry in the Design the Next Enterprise series has been posted, revealing a winner, a completed new Enterprise, and some commentary to boot from Executive Producer, Dan Stahl.

Alganon: Alganon The Comic Book Coming Soon

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 02:40 PM PDT

Quest Online and DC Entertainment have teamed up to announce Alganon: Fall of the Ourobani, a comic book revealing the series of events leading to Rise of the Ourobani, the upcoming expansion pack for the game.

APB: Reloaded: Open Beta 2 Has Landed

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 02:29 PM PDT

Last Thursday, APB: Reloaded entered into its second Open Beta Test, which will usher in some more changes to the F2P title from Reloaded Productions, including changes to the mission system, matchmaking, skill rating, threat levels and more.

Dungeon Fighter Online: Act XI: Wrath of Kazan Right Around the Corner

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 02:20 PM PDT

Players of Dungeon Fighter Online have something else to look forward to as this Wednesday, July 27th, DFO adds to its content Act XI, Wrath of Kazan, to its content. The update adds new skills to the mix, character linking, and more.

Rift: Taking On The WoW Clone Argument

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 10:57 AM PDT

One of the most common statements launched by so-called naysayers when speaking of Trion Worlds' Rift is that "it's a WoW clone". In a new column centered around Rift, MMORPG.com's Phil James takes a look at that statement and weighs in with his thoughts. See what Phil has to say about Rift and then be sure to let us know what you're thinking in the comments below.

Rusty Hearts: Juggling Skeletons As a Teleporting Vampire

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 10:42 AM PDT

MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy had the opportunity to juggle skeletons and to kick the ever-lasting crap out of creepy crawlies during a foray into the Rusty Hearts closed beta. He's got some thoughts to share about the glories of being a teleporting vampire that you do not want to miss. Read on!

Faxion Online: Caught Between Heaven & Hell

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 10:14 AM PDT

In our latest review, MMORPG.com's Robert Fooks takes a look at one of the more innovative titles to arrive on the gaming scene, Faxion Online. Robert has a lot to say about Faxion Online including the fact that those inhabiting cardboard boxes in real life will feel quite at home in Faxion's game world. Check out Robert's review and then let us know what you think.

Guild Wars 2: Five Reasons to Crave Guild Wars 2

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 09:55 AM PDT

MMORPG.com Industry Relations Manager Garrett Fuller takes on The List this week with a few reasons why many of us are waiting on bated breath for the arrival of Guild Wars 2. Among the legion of exciting features that Guild Wars 2 brings to the table is the fact that Everyone Can Heal and this is one aspect that Garrett examines. Read on to see if Garrett picked your reason for craving Guild Wars 2.

General gaming

General gaming


Comic-Con 2011: Ono "Without the Fans, There Would be no Street Fighter 4"

Posted: 24 Jul 2011 10:47 AM PDT

Yoshinori Ono is one of those game designers who "gets it" when it comes to listening to fans and finding ways to interact on a personal level with the fighting game community. When he isn't dressing up as Poison (as he did just a few days ago here at Comic-Con), he's out there listening to fan feedback and responding to those he can via Twitter and other forms of social media. I spoke to Ono this weekend and asked where his attention to the community began, and when he began to realize how important fan feedback and interaction can be.

"I started at Capcom back with Street Fighter II, worked on Darkstalkers, and worked on others games," explains Ono. "I'd do an interview with the media and would be asked stuff like 'Don't you know how much fans want a new Street Fighter?' So it's because of this I started to realized that there are fans out there that deserve to be listened to, and they sure as hell wanted a new Street Fighter."

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