MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Anvil of Crom: Savage Coast first impressions

Posted: 04 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Anvil of Crom header
Oy, the life of a game blogger. Earlier this week I teed off a bit on subscription-based games that tack on a cash shop. The short version of that particular rant is that I'm not a fan of the practice, at all, and as far as my personal gaming time goes, I've bid adieu to all of the double-dippers formerly denting my wallet -- with one exception, of course.

Whether that one exception makes me a hypocrite or is simply part of my job description is something I haven't quite figured out yet. In any event, it's somewhat ironic that I'm now about to tell you what a good time I had after spending 20 bucks in Age of Conan's item store. Yep, there I was, forking over for 2400 Funcom points -- I only needed 2000 for the Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack, of course -- and enjoying it for the most part. Luckily, it only costs 520 Massively points to read my first impressions after the cut.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Savage Coast first impressions

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Savage Coast first impressions originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Chat: Free-ish Wasteland edition

Posted: 04 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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Fallen Earth screenshot
The craziness of Gamescom and PAX is over, but that doesn't mean there's nothing left to look forward to in MMO-land. With the anticipation over upcoming game launches and free-to-play conversions, our readers have lots to say about the near future -- particularly Fallen Earth's near future. Follow along the jump and check it out!

Continue reading Global Chat: Free-ish Wasteland edition

MassivelyGlobal Chat: Free-ish Wasteland edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you still watch game trailers?

Posted: 04 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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SWTOR Eternity Vault screenshot
As the summer convention madness winds down, some of us in the Massively offices came to the realization that many of the upcoming, over-hyped releases aren't necessarily floating our collective boat. Though we're sure to buy all these blockbusters, play them, and love them in the end (we're gamers, after all), it's been hard to summon much enthusiasm in the pre-launch fog. Some games are making us apathetic -- in my case, so apathetic that I skipped over some of the major gameplay videos from Gamescom and PAX, even for MMOs I am planning to purchase or have already preordered. At some point, I know I've already decided to buy it. I don't need the spoilers or details anymore.

How about you, Massively readers? Do you consume all the big gameplay videos and trailers like a feral fan? Or are you so over the hype that you'd rather pass up the footage and wait until you can play the real thing?

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: Do you still watch game trailers? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anarchy Online shows a glimpse of its future makeover

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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Anarchy Online Tir
News of the much-anticipated Anarchy Online graphics revamp has been sparse, to say the least, so to see six brand-new screens of the updated engine is like a cold drink of water after an endless trek through IKEA. Seriously, it takes like two hours just to navigate through that store!

Director/Producer Colin Cragg posted the six updated screenshots showing off the city of Tir on the Anarchy Online forums today. The screenies don't just have fans of the long-running MMO pumped, but the Anarchy Online team as well. "I have to keep shooing the rest of the team away from Parsed's desk...this is probably a good sign," Cragg writes.

AO players have been waiting for the promised new graphic engine at least since 2009, so this is a good sign that Funcom is on track to update its oldest MMO with a 2011 veneer. You can check out all six screens in the gallery below.

[Thanks to Kane Hart for the tip!]

MassivelyAnarchy Online shows a glimpse of its future makeover originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The dangers and allure of real money trading in MMOs

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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EverQuest
It's been one of the longest-running debates in the MMO industry: whether or not real money trading (RMT) helps or hurts players and the game worlds they inhabit. The Ottawa Citizen shed some light on the subject by showing how the games industry at large has dealt with the subject, from players dealing in grey market trades to studios overseeing RMT in the hopes of keeping players' bank accounts safe while lining the studios' pockets with additional income.

Two examples were given of players engaging in illicit -- and ill-advised (Massively disclaimer) -- RMT activities. One player said that he made $7,000 in 2001 by purchasing EverQuest characters from bored players and reselling them to others, even though this was against the game's EULA. He likened it to real-world corporate practices: "It was kind of like buying a company and breaking (it) down and selling off all its assets, and flipping it for more cash."

Another player admitted to spending $50 in hopes of gaining 2,000 gold in World of Warcraft, but the third-party company simply took his cash and never delivered the gold.

The article notes how games like Second Life and companies like Sony and Microsoft are embracing RMT even as the issue remains taboo in many MMOs.

MassivelyThe dangers and allure of real money trading in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Neener neener!

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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Allods Screenshot
Enemies in MMOs can be tricky with their unexpected attacks, the spawns that happen at the worst possible moment, and their variety of spells that cause you to freeze in place or simply run away whether you want to or not. We've learned to expect that sort of thing, but a creature that seems to be trying to lure you off the edge of a cliff is certainly a new one. Kyervin discovered that one the hard way in Allods Online:
Here is my Orc Paladin Dreadblood running around Wild Corner in Asee-Teph. I came across a snake floating in mid-air, taunting me that i couldn't get to it. Well, knowing my full-charging Paladin wouldn't stand for this, I charged up and soon found myself falling off the side of the allod. You win this time, snake.
We've showed off some of the most attractive landscapes, characters, mounts, armor, and more here on One Shots, so we figure it's only fair that we give a nod to the opposite end of the spectrum. Next week is ugly armor week. Whether you have an eye-searing color scheme, a set of armor pieces that clash like crazy, or something that you just put together for a laugh, we want to see. Send your screenshots in to oneshots@massively.com and we'll feature them in next week's One Shots!

MassivelyOne Shots: Neener neener! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Far too much accountability

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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The Mog Log header illustration by A. Fienemann
Sometimes, it's really hard to figure out what in the world Square-Enix is thinking.

I don't really make a habit of defending Square on principle; I defend stuff that's defensible in the first place. There are decisions that might seem odd, but they make logical sense and can actually be defended in the correct light. That's mostly a function of trying to see a reasonable set of decisions and reasonable motivations amidst what can sometimes seem baffling. It's not always an easy road.

And then there are times when I can't even start to decipher what in the world anyone in the management train was thinking. Even when I do decipher the thought process that led to the action, it's the sort of thing that leads to some mixture of bafflement and irritation at the overall lack of thinking. That's my reaction when I look at the whole Square-Enix Account merger fiasco for Final Fantasy XI -- something that could have been a great idea but wound up just being an overall terrible execution.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Far too much accountability

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Far too much accountability originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMORPG News

MMORPG News


World of the Living Dead: Eating and Drinking Made Easier

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 09:58 AM PDT

World of the Living Dead has always prided itself on realism (as real as a zombie MMO can be), and now they've decided to take this one step further by adding new management controls for feeding and "watering" your survivors.

Lineage 2: New Armors Detailed

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 09:46 AM PDT

In the latest Sace Says column on the Lineage II website, a lot of new information is revealed about new armor sets coming with the Goddess of Destruction update.

Fallen Earth: Free to Play Arrives October 12th

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 09:36 AM PDT

GamersFirst and the Fallen Earth development team have officially unveiled several key components of the free to play iteration of the game. First off the bat is the announcement that Fallen Earth's free to play version will launch on October 12th.

4Story: YouTube Video Event Announced

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 09:22 AM PDT

Zemi Interactive has announced a new YouTube video contest for 4Story. The contest asks players to take videos, either in game or out, and edit them. The only requirement is that they have something to do with 4Story.

Eden Eternal: Funds Raised to Assist Alpaca Rancher

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 09:09 AM PDT

The alpaca is the unofficial mascot of Aeria Games' Eden Eternal. During a recent sweep of the news, it was discovered that fifty alpacas had been abandoned and were being cared for by a California resident out of her own pocket.

General: GamEyez Announced Two Games for Open Beta

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 08:46 AM PDT

We have received word from GamEyez that its client-based MMO, Blade of Destiny, is preparing to launch its open beta beginning Monday, September 5th. In addition, GamEyez is preparing its "RPG, turn-based game", Carian for open beta testing.

Star Trek Online: Story of the Week: Star Trek Online Runs Free

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 06:15 AM PDT

Though it wasn't entirely unexpected, Cryptic and Perfect World Entertainment announced this week that they have plans to make Star Trek Online free-to-play by the end of 2011. In a week filled with PAX coverage, this story garnered a lot of attention if only because many have been hoping for this development for some time now.

General gaming

General gaming


Postcards From CoD XP: Scrapyard Paintball Looks More Gears of War

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 07:33 PM PDT

The real life recreation of Modern Warfare 2's Scrapyard in the form of a paintball course was the number one attraction at CoD XP. The line was hours long, but it seems that deathmatching skills don't translate over to paintball. Instead the matches resembled Gears of War rather than CoD, with players rushing between cover points -- which is understandable given GoW was originally inspired by a paintball match.

Postcards from CoD XP: What Does Sumo Have to Do With Modern Warfare?

Posted: 03 Sep 2011 11:47 AM PDT

I'm not sure what this brand of 'sumo' wrestling has to do with Modern Warfare, guns, and shooting, but that hasn't stopped a line from forming at the 'Juggernaut Sumo' booth here at BroCon. Those suits the pair is wearing are supposed to look like the Juggernaut Bomb Suit from MW3, but the resemblance is passing at best.

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