MMO Updates

MMO Updates


La Tale Online prepping Sky Kingdom expansion

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 10:30 AM PDT

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La Tale Online - screenshot
Side-scrolling MMORPGs are something of a niche in the American gaming market, especially in the age of realistic 3D graphics and lavish production visuals. Quite a few of these throwbacks are still going strong, though, and La Tale Online is one that's actually expanding.

OGPlanet has just issued a press release trumpeting the game's long-awaited latest patch, and Sky Kingdom looks to continue the saga of Iris by introducing the floating continent of Preios and adding a ton of new content. What kind of new content? For starters there are nine new subclasses available for existing third class characters, and players may switch between their subclass and main class at will. Sky Kingdom also brings daily quests and new rewards to the table, as well as a reputation system and time-attack dungeons. To offset these new challenges, a new gem-crafting system has also been introduced, which OGPlanet says "will allow players to further customize and empower their characters."

More info is available at the official La Tale Online website and you can also check out the Sky Kingdom trailer after the break.

[Source: OGPlanet press release]

Continue reading La Tale Online prepping Sky Kingdom expansion

MassivelyLa Tale Online prepping Sky Kingdom expansion originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 Asura Week begins Monday

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Zojja will end you
The Guild Wars 2 development team has brought us Human Week, Norn Week, Sylvari Week, and Charr Week. Four of the five playable races have been covered, leaving fans anxious for the scoop on the final and most diminutive race: the Asura.

ArenaNet announced today that Asura Week will begin Monday, and cover character and environment design, animation, lore, and writing. The team will also release new audio, video, art, and even a "Hey Bookah" advice column that's sure to put we humans firmly in our place. Several familiar names will be pitching in for Asura week, including writers Jeff Grubb and Ree Soesbee.

Asura week begins Monday, September 12th, and will continue all week. Check out the schedule after the cut for the full rundown of Asura Week!

Source: Press release

Continue reading Guild Wars 2 Asura Week begins Monday

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 Asura Week begins Monday originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trickster Online and Pangya United want to send you to Las Vegas

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:30 AM PDT

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SG Interactive - contest banner
SG Interactive wants to send you to Las Vegas, and all you have to do to qualify is play one of the company's MMORPGs. A new press release spills the beans, and entering the contest is as easy as completing a couple of in-game events.

Said events are happening in Trickster Online and Pangya United, and one winner from each title will take home a prize pack that includes airfare, hotel accommodations, and tickets to attend the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show.

What's the skinny on the events themselves? First up is The Pirates of Pangya Island contest. The pirate queen Kooh is challenging players to collect gold coins hidden at the 18th hole of each Pangya Island course. All you have to do is collect one coin and you'll automatically be entered into the Las Vegas trip contest. The Pangya event ends on September 21st, and the winner will be announced on the 22nd. Entering the Trickster Online contest is even easier. Rack up 100 hours of game time by September 28th and you'll be eligible to win. The victor will be announced on October 5th.

[Source: SG Interactive press release]

MassivelyTrickster Online and Pangya United want to send you to Las Vegas originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Planet War celebrates new server with prize giveaways

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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Planet War
YooGames' Planet War is rapidly expanding on all fronts, doubling its servers from one to two today. The addition of the newest server, Knight, is an indication that this browser-based space strategy title is gaining an audience.

To celebrate Knight's opening, YooGames is launching a series of events for those brave (or foolhearty) enough to venture into the dangerous void of space looking for wealth and glory. Anyone who rolls on Knight will automatically be granted a VIP code, which can be turned in for a prize pack. There are additional rewards for players who are the first in the doors, who purchase gold for the first time on the server, who buy over 1,000 gold, and who get their heavy workshop tech up to level 5.

It's not just about the solo player, either; YooGames is also looking to reward the ten best legions that prove their worth on the Knight server. Currently, Planet War is in open beta and is free-to-play for all.

[Source: YooGames press release]

MassivelyPlanet War celebrates new server with prize giveaways originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: Non-vanilla server rulesets

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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Perfect Ten
I've always thought that rulesets are a golden opportunity for MMO developers to get creative with their products and try something fresh and exciting. Unfortunately, most every MMO these days, new and old, adheres to the four "vanilla" rulesets that have been in place since Pong. You have your default PvE, your same-as-PvE-except-we-have-a-naming-policy PvE-RP, and the two player vs. player variants: PvP and PvP-RP.

Those are all well and good, but... y'know... couldn't rulesets be used to create fascinating variations on these games? It turns out that yes, yes they can.

While the vanilla rulesets are the vast majority, there does exist a group of fringe rulesets that dared to walk the different patch, er, path and made versions of MMOs that are a bold and refreshing flavor. Like blue! Sometimes these new rulesets were whipped up to inject new life into an aging title, giving players a valid reason to come back and see the game from a different perspective.

In this week's Perfect Ten, we're going to check out just how wild 'n' wacky server rulesets can get!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Non-vanilla server rulesets

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Non-vanilla server rulesets originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eden Eternal announces new race, crafting system

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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Eden Eternal - Anuran
If you're looking for something new to do in Eden Eternal aside from killing monsters and stockpiling phat lewt, look no further than the mid-September content update. Aeria Games has just put out a press release detailing the patch, and the highlights include the new Anuran race along with a brand-new crafting system.

Racial special abilities will also be making an appearance in the new patch, and they're tied into the new tradeskill mechanics. Characters at level 30 and above can participate in Gemcrafting (for Humans), Engineering (for Zumi), and Alchemy (for Anurans) to create a multitude of useful items including gear, potions, and dyes.

The tradeskill goodness doesn't stop there, though, as players at level 20 and above are free to set up their own personal shops in the town of Aven. Finally, two new NPCs are being added to Eden Eternal, and Professor Koss gives timed XP boosts while Assistant Teren gifts players with different fortune bags throughout the day. Learn more about Eden Eternal, and grab the client, at the game's official website.

[Source: Aeria Games press release]

MassivelyEden Eternal announces new race, crafting system originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What will be the last sub game standing?

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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My money is on Ultima Online
Take a look around the traditional subscription MMO market. Notice anything unusual? That's right -- there aren't many games left that can really call themselves traditional sub games, and there are fewer still on the horizon. So many MMOs are going or have gone free-to-play or freemium in one form or another that traditionalists are left without many MMO safe havens -- and even most of those have given in to double-dipping microtransaction shops.

That makes us wonder which game will be the last to convert fully to the modern Western-style F2P. Will Blizzard be the lone holdout, refusing to turn the aging World of Warcraft into a free-to-play MMO? Will it be a sandbox like Ultima Online or EVE Online, whose design mechanics discourage easy account creation? Or will a newer game like RIFT or the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic have more staying power? Which game will stay subscription-only until the bitter end?

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 will be the last sub game standing? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BioWare confirms no SWTOR beta this weekend

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 09:00 PM PDT

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Star Wars The Old Republic - The Soup Nazi
Those of you hoping for a fun time during BioWare's much-anticipated Star Wars The Old Republic beta weekends might want to look at plan B. In a post on the official boards, community manager Stephen Reid confirms that there is indeed no beta test this time around.

So that's the bad news.

The good news is that future events are coming, and they're likely going to be on a much grander scale (meaning you, yes you, might even get an invite). "We rolled out this previous weekend as a relatively small scale event; from now we will do bigger and bigger events, but that doesn't mean it happens every weekend. When we do resume, we'll be inviting many more people in," Reid explains.

He also hints at a comprehensive beta FAQ in the works, so keep your eyes peeled and your browsers pointed at Massively for the latest details as they become available.

[Thanks Ren54!]

MassivelyBioWare confirms no SWTOR beta this weekend originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Going to The Grand Masquerade in New Orleans? We want you!

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 08:00 PM PDT

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New Orleans cemetary
If you're attending The Grand Masquerade on September 15th through the 18th this year and you're interested in meeting up with CCP and White Wolf for an interview, we want to give you some money. No seriously, we want to pay you to meet some game devs, and you can even be dressed like a vampire while you do it. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, huh?

The Grand Masquerade is the annual event held by White Wolf in New Orleans, Louisiana as a fan gathering for World of Darkness. Since White Wolf and CCP are working on a World of Darkness MMO, we're especially interested in getting some first-hand information out of the event. This year, they've confirmed that more details on the MMO will be revealed, so we're especially excited to be a part of it.

Read on after the jump for details on how you can apply to represent Massively at The Grand Masquerade.

Continue reading Going to The Grand Masquerade in New Orleans? We want you!

MassivelyGoing to The Grand Masquerade in New Orleans? We want you! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online expanding API functionality

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT

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It's really hard to find a screenshot of immersive programming.
Amidst all of the scandals and player controversy, it's important to remember what really matters in EVE Online -- API development. Well, maybe not for every player, but there's certainly a burgeoning community that's quite happy to hear about major updates to the game's overall API structure. And there are indeed two large changes discussed in the newest devblog -- the addition of customizable API keys for players and the inclusion of new contract functionality.

If you're not familiar with the programming side of the API, naturally, the developer blog is largely going to read like so much arcane nonsense to you. The takeaways for all players are that there is greater flexibility in setting access keys with limited durations, and calling contract information is now easier than it was before. On the other hand, if you are a part of the game's programming community and want to know more about the changes, the blog should provide a great deal of more in-depth and useful information for improved functionality.

MassivelyEVE Online expanding API functionality originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online's patch 1.4.4 on the public test server

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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Screenshot -- Warhammer Online
Warhammer Online's patch version 1.4.4 has just hit the public test server, allowing players to partake of some new and exciting features. The Wild Hunt is once again upon the forces of Order and Chaos, and it calls for players to track, hunt, and slay elusive creatures.

A variety of RvR changes have been made as well, such as new Keep Defense mechanics. This new mechanic requires keep defenders to destroy the attacking war party's battering ram, at which point the siege will "briefly shift to a 'Successful Defense' state." The defending troops will then receive a buff, intended to allow them to push back their attackers. Once the defenders push the attackers out of their keep area, however, the buff will quickly fade, putting the battle back on a level playing field.

For all of this and more, players can check out the full patch notes and get a firsthand look on the public test servers.

MassivelyWarhammer Online's patch 1.4.4 on the public test server originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Wars: The Old Republic is keeping a close eye on World of Warcraft

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 05:30 PM PDT

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Aside from the guns, it almost looks like a telescope.  If you squint a bunch.
From the interface to the design, many people have commented that there's a certain degree of similarity between Star Wars: The Old Republic and World of Warcraft. So it probably comes as no real surprise to learn that Electronic Arts is studying WoW when it comes to SWtOR's upcoming launch -- but not in the way you might think. The company isn't concerned as much with the mechanical side of the equation, but with the question of what happens post-launch and how to increase player retention.

This might not seem like terribly relevant information, but a lot of attention is being paid to the game's content release schedule, the speed at which experienced players will go through new content, and the game's post-launch foci. It also extends to an emphasis on smooth networking code to ensure that players can log in and experience the game quickly rather than having to fight off latency. It's no secret that WoW is influencing other games, but SWtOR seems to be designed with an eye toward more than just gameplay.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic is keeping a close eye on World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Wulin interview translation hints at user-created martial arts

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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Age of Wulin - village
Curious about Age of Wulin, the free-to-play martial arts sandpark that's been in the news a bit lately? We were too, and as such we read with interest the translation of an interview with Snail Games CEO Shi Hai that recently went down on Weibo.

What's Weibo? It's basically a Chinese Twitter analog, and the interview touches on game basics including character slots (one per account), PKing opportunities, and brief blurbs on the game's unique auto-pathing and user-created martial arts systems.

These last two didn't merit more than a mention in this particular interview, but rest assured that we'll be bringing you all the latest Age of Wulin news as it happens.

MassivelyAge of Wulin interview translation hints at user-created martial arts originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New LotRO dev diaries outline Minstrel changes, PvMP

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 04:30 PM PDT

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Screenshot -- Lord of the Rings Online
Denizens of Middle-earth, sit yourselves down, light up some pipeweed, and brace yourselves for information overload. The fine folks at Turbine have released a pair of new dev diaries outlining the changes coming to Minstrels and PvMP with Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard.

One of the first things that Minstrels will notice when they log in to Rise of Isengard for the first time is that they are no longer clad in the medium armor to which they are accustomed. Instead, the Minstrel's medium armor trait is being replaced with something "equally valuable."

The next sweeping change comes in regard to the Minstrel's ballads. Gone are the days when Minstrels had to play ballads in tiers; instead, all ballads have been divided into minor, major, and perfect categories. These categories roughly tie into the three stances that the Minstrel employs, providing either healing, damage, or power reduction. The Major Ballad is of particular note, as its effects will change depending on the stance the Minstrel is in. With no stance selected, the ability will heal allies. In Harmony or War-speech stance, the ability becomes a damage-dealing skill.

Minstrels will also be receiving an upgrade to their available stance choices, allowing players greater flexibility in their playstyle. This is by no means an exhaustive list of the changes coming to Minstrels with Rise of Isengard; they will also be receiving changes to their Anthems and will be given a new type of ability called a Coda. Trait lines are being given a few tweaks as well, so any would-be bards should certainly give the full list of changes a look.

Meanwhile, in the Ettenmoors, changes are sweeping the Freeps. All Freep quests have been made into dailies, and all quests now reward players with a combination of Destiny, Glory, and cold hard coin. Rangers have received a variety of tweaks as well. Freep PvMP rewards have been upgraded to be uniform with the new stat system, and players who previously purchased the old versions of the armor rewards will be able to swap the old version for the new. New jewelry and offhands are also being made available to help the Free Peoples of Middle-earth take the battle to the Ettenmoors.

Once again, the full details, as well as previews of some of the updated items being made available to the heroes of the Ettenmoors.

MassivelyNew LotRO dev diaries outline Minstrel changes, PvMP originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Matter of pact

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
We're back online in this neck of the woods, and that means that I can catch up on all of the things that I missed over the past week. And even within the fairly focused sphere of City of Heroes, there was a lot going on -- a headstart for subscribers, the removal of leveling pacts, more details on the rewards you can uncover for Signature Arcs, and the lowdown of the Seed of Hamidon event. Interesting stuff, all around, but it was the pact removal that first jumped out at me.

One of the things that CoH has been loath to do over the years is remove things. That's part of why the game has become so all-encompassing for so many players -- every new system has built upon its predecessors, adding new options, moving in new directions. So the removal of one of the game's interesting features struck me as a little odd just because it's something that's nearly without precedent in its lifespan.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Matter of pact

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Matter of pact originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure: Ghosts

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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Choose My Adventure: Ghosts
If any of you have been following me on Twitter, then you know that I have been extremely active in RIFT this week. However, I did not gain the levels I had hoped. I am currently level 17, which is nice, but I had hoped to be level 19 or 20 by now. I will definitely get there this week.

I cannot say this enough: Visually, RIFT is stunning. Below you'll find the gallery of my adventures; I included 19 new screenshots this week. They complement Seriia's story throughout Freemarch and especially the Scarred Mire. The gallery includes some excellent screenshots of Jakub the Tyrant, Alsbeth the Discordant, and March Warden Eliam. My new mount and the Abyssal visions from the daily half-birthday quests also make an appearance.

After the break, Seriia dreams of ghosts and tyrants. Eliam Fields seems to be a home for her; she loves the place. Also, I need your help with invasions -- I am not exactly performing the way I would like to in large group activities. Maybe a new soul will help. Let me know what you think after the break.

Let the Telaran adventure begin!

Gallery: CMA: RIFT

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Ghosts

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Ghosts originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Enter at Your Own Rift: The curious case of planar attunement

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 02:30 PM PDT

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Rift Shipwreck
Over the weekend, players finished off those last crumbs of the RIFT birthday cake and celebrated six months of fending off planar invasions. But already on the horizon is update 1.5, Ashes of History, and with it comes new ways for level-capped players to keep busy. One of the major features to arrive is the new Planar Attunement system. Players who are level 50 will be able to use any earned experience toward attunement points, which will grant new abilities and stat bonuses. In many ways, it resembles the AA systems used in EverQuest and EverQuest II, although there are some noticeable differences.

The testing continues, and there are still tweaks to come with this system, but there are several questions surrounding the addition of the Planar Attunement system. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll look at some potentially tricky issues when it comes to RIFT and AAs.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: The curious case of planar attunement

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: The curious case of planar attunement originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Would you like fries with that?

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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LotRO armor
Next up on the runway for One Shots ugly armor week, we have Colonel Tibbs from Lord of the Rings Online:
While Lord of the Rings Online is making great strides toward armor coolness, particularly with its cosmetic wardrobe and new looks coming in Rise of Isengard, the game remains well-known for its buffoonish armor types.

As you can see here, a low-level cloth-wearer can have all manner of noxious fashion inflicted upon him or her, including hats that make you want to kick your own butt.
It's ugly armor week all week on One Shots, so 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.

Next week we'll be revisiting starting zones, so if you want to get a jump on things, grab a screenshot of your favorite starting zone and send it in to oneshots@massively.com and we'll feature it in next week's One Shots!

MassivelyOne Shots: Would you like fries with that? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Speaking Episode 164: Dragon*Con 2011

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 01:30 PM PDT

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DragonCon Parade
Massively Speaking Episode 164 returns this week as Shawn is joined by Jef Reahard and MJ Guthrie to discuss their experiences at Dragon*Con 2011 last weekend. Yes, the regular news is skipped, but nothing really big happened anyway, right? Oh yeah, Star Trek Online. Oh well, enjoy!

If you're interested in learning more about the Game Programming Instructor position Shawn has mentioned on previous episodes, check out the job listing or contact Shawn for more info.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to shawn@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes.
[RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator.
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
Listen here on the page:



Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Massively Speaking is the official podcast of Massively.com. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Shawn Schuster and Community Manager Rubi Bayer, Massively Speaking takes on the week's biggest news and dev interviews with plenty of opinion, rants, and laughs thrown in for good measure. Join us every Wednesday afternoon to listen in and see what we'll say next!

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 164: Dragon*Con 2011

MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 164: Dragon*Con 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Another attempt at free-to-play vs. freemium

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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Fallen Earth chart
I'm one of those types who can't just let certain things go. When I see someone talking on Facebook about issues with his pet, I have to chime in. (I'm sort of an amateur animal behaviorist.) If I hear someone talking about her favorite bands, I usually have to let her know which ones I love. (I'm a music snob.) I'm just sort of a nosy individual. Since I can admit that, I think I deserve a pass when I volunteer information that wasn't asked for.

But I work at Massively. We're a website about, you know, games, and not just games, but MMOs, some of the least understood of all games. People and even developers seem to confuse what MMO means, and they especially confuse what a free-to-play MMO should offer. Once again I am going to take a crack at it, but not just because I am nosy. Mainly I want to clear this up so people will know what to expect from a title and whether there is going to have to be any money involved.

Click past the cut and let's have at it!

Continue reading Free for All: Another attempt at free-to-play vs. freemium

MassivelyFree for All: Another attempt at free-to-play vs. freemium originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The dark side of Super Hero Squad Online

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 12:30 PM PDT

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SHSO Villainville image
Who says good guys never go bad? In Villainville, the newest expansion to Marvel's kid-friendly Super Hero Squad Online, players can do just that. Situated beyond the borders of the pleasant Super Hero City, Villainville is home to Doctor Doom's Lethal Legion and his evil minions, and within the dark city's walls and sewers, players go beyond merely fighting the bad guys -- they can become fallen versions of some of their favorite heroes, like Dark Surfer, Red Hulk, Iron Patriot, and Red She-Hulk. Players can also explore the all-new game world and jump into new missions like Abomination Obliteration and MODOK's Mo' Problems.

SHSO, which released last year complete with housing and a trading card game, is a F2P browser-based MMO that's heavy on the comic mischief and perfect for a quick superhero-flavored dungeon romp.

Be you big kid or small, check out the new Villainville trailer behind the break!

Continue reading The dark side of Super Hero Squad Online

MassivelyThe dark side of Super Hero Squad Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Check out the newest MMOs from GamesCampus with a giveaway from Massively!

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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Asda 2
The folks at GamesCampus have been pretty busy this summer turning out some new titles and making improvements here and there. They've got two titles in particular that they'd like players to check out, and they have shared some starter packages for each one with Massively.

This giveaway works a bit differently than the ones you usually see on Massively. Each gift package has a single redemption code, which can be applied 500 times before it expires. To apply each code, install the game, log into your GamesCampus account, and apply the code under "coupon" on the righthand navigation bar.

Asda 2 is the anime-style sequel to Asda Story, and each starter package includes an exclusive Summer Festival avatar set, a seven-day Premium Potion, a seven-day Dragon Doll vehicle, 10 teleport scrolls, and 10 HP recovery scrolls. The gift pack code is A534A4904175411D.

Heroes in the Sky is a World War II-themed MMOTPS, and the starter pack includes a variety of seven-day items. You'll receive larger maximum secondary weapon ammo, durability protection to prevent your gear from breaking down, improved weapon reload time, coolant to reduce the rate at which your engine overheats, and reduced skill cooldown times. The gift pack code is CA3DCB694FBF4629.

Each code is limited to one per account, so grab yours, pick up your starter pack, and have fun!

MassivelyCheck out the newest MMOs from GamesCampus with a giveaway from Massively! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XL Games details three ArcheAge races

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT

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ArcheAge - human, dwarf, warborn
XL Games has added to the trickle of ArcheAge information making its way to the West with a new race-related reveal this morning. The fantasy sandpark will feature eight distinct races, and though we've known their names for some time now, the new info drop is the first opportunity we've had to look at the Hariharans, Dwarves, and Warborn.

Dwarves are -- as you might guess -- short, stubborn, and fond of metal. Hariharans aren't quite as exotic as the name suggests, given that they're one of two human races in the world of ArcheAge. In terms of lore, there's no love lost between Hariharans and their Nuian counterparts, and the former tend towards light weapons and armor while the latter favor heavy weapons and heavier mail.

Finally, XL also revealed the Warborn, and ArcheAge Online describes them as "neither demons nor humans, but a gigantic race who excel at killing things."

MassivelyXL Games details three ArcheAge races originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlestar Galactica Online adding new ships this month, surpasses 5M registered players

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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Battlestar Galactica - the fleet
Bigpoint just can't seem to stay out of the news today, and whether its the incendiary pay-to-win remarks of an executive or an update to its Battlestar Galactica browser MMO, there's a lot of interesting buzz swirling around the company of late.

The devs are adding a new line of fleet recon ships to Battlestar Galactica Online, and the craft will enable both Colonial and Cylon players to jump directly to their targets while "in proximity of an erupting battle." The ships will debut in mid-September and are modeled on the Raptor and Heavy Raider craft from the beloved Syfy television series. Bigpoint's latest press release also mentions that the Brimir-class carrier will be "available this fall, though its size, complexity, and impact on game balance must be optimized before its general release."

Finally, the company is trumpeting some new metrics, and the release says that BSGO has surpassed the five million registered player mark.

[Source: Bigpoint press release]

MassivelyBattlestar Galactica Online adding new ships this month, surpasses 5M registered players originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General gaming

General gaming


Max Payne 3 Finally Releasing in March

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:31 AM PDT

Max Payne 3

More than eight years after the release of Max Payne 2, gamers will finally be able to get their hands on Max Payne 3.

Rockstar today announced plans to release the elusive title sometime during March 2012 on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. It didn't nail down an exact date, but given how many times it's slipped back over the past few years -- it was originally supposed to be out in 2009 -- and how little Rockstar has talked about it as of late, this is at least something.

Resident Evil: Revelations Features Both Pre- And Post-RE4 Gameplay

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 05:45 PM PDT

Finally, after releasing the lackluster Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D, and cooling off on promoting Operation Raccoon City, Capcom decides to show off some more Resident Evil: Revelations. During our demo, I get to play as series veteran Chris Redfield in a fresh section of the upcoming horror-survival-game. Together with his new partner Jessica, Chris investigates a plane crash on a snowy mountain-plateau;after a few steps down a snow-covered path, they find themselves standing inside the badly damaged plane-wreck and discover the dead pilot. Only after scanning the dead body and finding an important item, can Chris continue adventuring.

Here, the new scanner-system comes into play: You select the necessary gear via touchscreen and check the dead body thoroughly Metroid Prime-style. Only then will Chris find the aforementioned item, and he only picks it up after doing a second search after the scan! If you merely check the body without doing a scan first, you won't find anything except a prompt suggesting that a scan can reveal more information. I'm curious to see whether this new scanning element ends up being an interesting gameplay addition, or a cumbersome gameplay crutch that needlessly draws out the game's exploration aspect.

Sonic Generations Collector's Edition is Europe (and Australia)-Only

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 05:27 PM PDT

Sonic Generations collector's edition PS3

Sonic Generations is meant to be a celebration of the Sonic series for its 20-year anniversary, so one would expect its collector's edition to be especially nice. It does indeed seem to be fairly cool -- the only problem is that gamers in North America won't be able to get their hands on it.

Sega formally announced the game's collector's edition for PS3 and 360 today. As seen in the picture of the PS3 version above, you get a figurine of both the new and old Sonic; an individually-numbered gold ring; a "20 Years of Sonic Art" book; a soundtrack with music from the series that's been selected by Sonic Team; a documentary on the history of Sonic; special packaging; and bonus downloadable content of some sort for Generations.

That all sounds terrific for the big Sonic fans out there, depending upon how it ends up being priced. However, the Sega Blog also brings word on why you might not want to get too excited: it's only for Europe and Australia. So unless you plan on importing (a potentially expensive proposition in and of itself, especially since this is a larger package than your standard import game), it might have to be something you only enjoy in picture- and video-form.

Review: Driver San Francisco is the Fresh Take the Series Needed All Along

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 04:36 PM PDT

After waiting patiently to proclaim it for 12 years now, I can finally admit to finishing the last mission of Driver on the original PlayStation. Titled "The President's Run," this frustratingly difficult finale was far from the quality standard of fun even in 1999. After 100+ restarts and hundreds of furiously fought, choppy car battles in the rain-soaked NYC streets I learned the powerful virtue of patience; and to never mangle (or launch) a controller as a result of a 'rage quit' -- the true path of a 1UP monk, I suppose.

While my unflinching determination could appear an act of sheer will and fortitude, it's important to point out that I'm quite fond of the Driver games despite their technical flaws. In fact, it's easy to forget that both Grand Theft Auto and Driver grew up as video game siblings: Both games tackled adult oriented subject matter, open world structures, and relied heavily on point-to-point driving missions within a year or two of each other. But while the developers making GTA seem to understand their boundaries and find safe ways to expand them, Driver comparatively felt stuck in proverbial mud by serious problems like choppy framerates, strange vehicle physics, and difficult car handling. The franchise itself hit an unforgettable low after Driv3r (the game the rest of us called Driver 3) and the series itself has felt like an afterthought ever since.

Slavery: The Game Intended to Promote Dutch Documentary

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 04:09 PM PDT


To the surprise of approximately no one, the trailer and website recently launched for a supposed game called Slavery: The Game is not real. It was, in fact, intended to promote an upcoming Dutch documentary on the subject of slavery.

The documentary comes from Dutch public broadcaster NTR. In a press release issued today, it claims the trailer's purpose was to "confront people with an important, but often-neglected part of history" and to remind people that slavery still exists today. It didn't seem to really convey the latter message, instead simply sparking a controversy over whether slavery is appropriate subject matter for a game.

But perhaps it'll do a better job of talking about the present-day slavery mentioned in the press release with its TV series De Slavernij, which will begin airing on September 18. It's noted that "De Slavernij" is an anagram for "Javelin Reds," the company credited as being responsible for Slavery: The Game. It's an observation made when the trailer was first discovered, and was just one of several reasons to believe the game wasn't the real deal.

RollerCoaster Tycoon Makes its Handheld Debut on 3DS in 2012

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 02:56 PM PDT

RollerCoaster Tycoon

As was rumored late last month, Atari is bringing the RollerCoaster Tycoon series to 3DS.

It's the first time the theme park simulation series, which has its roots in the computer scene, will appear on a handheld platform. Since the first game was ported to the original Xbox (complete with the additions seen in two PC expansion packs), the games have stuck to computers. Developer Frontier Developments did create a spin-off series in Thrillville that saw two games come out for consoles and handhelds.

Today's teaser trailer for RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D, as the new 3DS installment is called, tells us nothing besides a 2012 release date. The same can be said for the official website.

All PS3 Owners Can Soon Play the Assassin's Creed: Revelations Beta

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 01:37 PM PDT

Assassin's Creed Revelations

The beta for Assassin's Creed Revelations' multiplayer mode began earlier this month exclusively on PlayStation 3, just like the beta for Brotherhood. Not all PS3 owners were allowed in, as access required players to be either a Uplay member or a PlayStation Plus subscriber. Beginning tomorrow, that is no longer the case.

When the beta was first talked about, it was referred to as a "timed exclusive." That made it sound as if non-Uplay/Plus members would be able to play at some point, but Ubisoft refused to confirm if that's what it meant when asked by 1UP. We now know that's exactly what the timed exclusive was alluding to.

Ubisoft announced today that the beta is opening up to all PlayStation Network members beginning tomorrow, Thursday, September 8, at 10am Pacific.

Madden 12 Sells 1.4 Million in its First Week

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 01:09 PM PDT

Madden NFL 12

Reviews of this year's Madden weren't quite as overwhelmingly positive as they sometimes are, and at least to me, it didn't seem like Madden NFL 12 was being talked about nearly as much as in past years. That might very well be the case, but first-week sales of the game aren't reflecting that at all.

1.4 million copies of Madden 12 were sold in its first week of availability, reports IndustryGamers. EA claims this is an increase of more than 10 percent over last year's game.

"With the start of the NFL season only days away, fans are thrilled to get back to football and they're doing so in record numbers through Madden NFL 12," says EA sports executive VP Andrew Wilson. "The growth across console and digital shows that the appetite for the Madden NFL franchise has never been bigger."

A Game of Thrones: Genesis Hits This Month

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 12:39 PM PDT

A Game of Thrones: Genesis

George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series was quite popular in its own right, and HBO's excellent Game of Thrones series only helped to introduce it to an even wider audience earlier this year. The series will now expand into the world of videogames later this month with the debut of A Game of Thrones: Genesis.

As first announced back in 2009, France-based developer Cyanide has a deal to produce games based on Martin's series for both PC and consoles. The first project is Genesis, a real-time strategy game for PC we began seeing glimpses of last summer.

Cyanide claims it's possible to win in Genesis without ever engaging your opponents in combat. It's nice to know that's a possibility; for those who find that notion boring, you will of course be able to use brute force while also employing spies to sabotage your enemies.

Kid Icarus: A Retrospective

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 12:13 PM PDT

Feature

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Kid Icarus: A Retrospective

How did this humble little NES game earn such a fervent following?

By: Jeremy Parish September 7, 2011

When I spoke with Kid Icarus: Uprising producer Masahiro Sakurai at this year's E3, he mentioned that dissecting Kid Icarus' popularity is an essential tool in his team's bag of tricks. "We're trying to figure out why people like the original game so much," he admitted. I offered to share my own take on the lasting appeal of the game -- which turns 25 years old this summer -- only to realize that it's difficult to explain in a few short sentences.

In a lot of ways, Kid Icarus was one of those things where you just had to be there. The game seems painfully dated these days, with primitive graphics, shrill audio, and weirdly counter-intuitive game design. The action scrolls up but not down, meaning you're effectively creating your own bottomless pits as you advance! Duck to evade enemy fire and you'll not only duck, you'll fall right through the floor and into a fatal pit. Hearts collected from enemies work as currency, not as health pick-ups. It's a strange, clunky, unfriendly game.

But cast your mind back to 1986 and you just might be able to understand why Kid Icarus was a hit and why kids who grew up playing it still love it. It's not a perfect game, and Nintendo is taking the right approach by making Uprising a loosely inspired sequel rather than a slavish follow-up. Yet in its day, Kid Icarus was like nothing before it -- memorably so.

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