MMO Updates

MMO Updates


MMObility: The argument for a time-limited server

Posted: 06 Jan 2012 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Travian banner
If there is one thing we MMO gamers love about our favorite games, it's the fact that they go on almost forever. Even when we log off, the virtual worlds we inhabit exist without us. Players continue to adventure, craft and explore the game world as we sleep. It's exciting, and it separates MMOs from the rest of the gaming flock. But what if the world ended? What if the ending of the world was part of the gameplay, an understood happening that marked not only the end of one chapter but the fresh beginning of another?

Time-limited servers end, just as I described. While I have not seen the mechanic much in "standard" MMOs, only appearing really in a handful of titles like A Tale in the Desert, there are quite a few MMORTS titles that use it. In fact, some of the most popular MMORTS games out there use time limits in their games. It would seem that many players enjoy the occasional destruction or closing of their worlds.

Would the mechanic work for other games? How can mobile gaming benefit from the short-term servers?

Continue reading MMObility: The argument for a time-limited server

MassivelyMMObility: The argument for a time-limited server originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

    The Firing Line: The pleasures and pitfalls of PlanetSide 2

    Posted: 06 Jan 2012 07:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , , , , , , , , , ,

    The Firing Line - PlanetSide 2 trooper opens fire
    My time in PlanetSide was a blur. It's also a ways back in the rear view mirror, and I've played so many MMOs in the interim that I can't even remember exactly when it was. The game originally shipped in May of 2003, and I was entrenched in Star Wars Galaxies from its June 2003 launch going forward. That would put my six week (de)tour with the Terran Republic somewhere circa 2004, maybe? I forget.

    The point I'm getting around to, though, is that regardless of hazy dates, PlanetSide stands out as one of those seminal MMO experiences that showcased the possibility inherent in this particular genre. The upcoming reboot, then, should be pretty spectacular and deserving of some fanboi adulation, right?

    Well, yes and no.

    Continue reading The Firing Line: The pleasures and pitfalls of PlanetSide 2

    MassivelyThe Firing Line: The pleasures and pitfalls of PlanetSide 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

      Snail Games (officially) announces wuxia MMO, Age of Wushu

      Posted: 06 Jan 2012 06:00 AM PST

      Filed under: , , , , ,

      Screenshot -- Age of Wushu
      Have you ever been sitting around with your buddies and watching Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon while thinking to yourself, "Meh, I could do that"? If so, you're probably making a killing in martial arts tournaments and not reading Massively. But don't worry, there's still hope for the rest of us: Snail Games' upcoming free-to-play, wuxia-centric title, Age of Wushu is now officially announced.

      For the uninitiated, wuxia is a genre of literature, movies, and games which generally includes high-flying, acrobatic ass-kicking. The game will allow players to train under eight different martial art schools, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The press release boasts that the game features no levels or classes, warning players that "that beggar on the street may be a traveling Grand Master."

      Combat, unsurprisingly, is based on wuxia-style martial arts, and will feature what the team calls a "counter combat system," which makes it sound like combat could be based around a system of attacks, counters, reversals, and so forth, just like in true martial arts. Of course, no martial-arts combat system would be complete without Crouching-Tiger-Hidden-Dragon-style aerial fights, which Snail Games has certainly included. To top it off, random NPC events, 17 different professions, and 30 offline activities should help ensure that players have something to do no matter the circumstances. To get your martial arts fix, remember to watch the game's official launch trailer we revealed yesterday, and keep an eye on Massively for more from Age of Wushu in the future.

      [Source: Snail Games press release]

      Continue reading Snail Games (officially) announces wuxia MMO, Age of Wushu

      MassivelySnail Games (officially) announces wuxia MMO, Age of Wushu originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

      Permalink | Email this | Comments

        The Daily Grind: What's your most embarrassing mistell?

        Posted: 06 Jan 2012 05:00 AM PST

        Filed under: , ,

        TMI
        Whether you accidentally complain about a fellow teammate in team chat, reveal your current bowel ailment to the entire planet, or something worse, we've probably all made the mistake of entering an embarrassing string of text in the wrong chat tab.

        But laughing at our mistakes is usually what makes it all worth it. You'll probably double- and triple-check which tab you're typing in next time, and the whole thing results in a fun story for the grandkids one day.

        So what's your most embarrassing mistell? Let us know in the comments below!

        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's your most embarrassing mistell? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

          This Week In MMO: Interrupting dance edition

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 07:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , ,

          TWIMMO screencap
          It's time for yet another episode of This Week In MMO, and you'll never guess what the topic du jour is. Well, unless you guessed Star Wars: The Old Republic (again), in which case you would be correct. Much discussion is had about the hilarity that was SWTOR's /getdown exploit, which allowed players to interrupt enemy mobs by... dancing at them.

          Meanwhile, Final Fantasy XIV will resume charging subscription fees tomorrow, January 6th, so if you're still subscribed and don't want to pay, you'd better cancel now. And lastly, on a note of complete and utter excess, the gang reports that one gamer (who we imagine spends most of his time swimming in his money like Scrooge McDuck) has spent $16,000 US on an in-game sword for Snail Games' F2P (irony!) title, Age of Wulin. The kicker? The game isn't even out yet. For the full video, just click on past the cut and have a look.

          MassivelyThis Week In MMO: Interrupting dance edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          The MMO Report: Cool balloon bro edition

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 06:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , , , ,

          The MMO Report
          This week on The MMO Report -- where everyone prefers "a blaster over hokey religions and ancient weapons" -- Casey tries to make the most of a slow MMO news week. He reports that the fallout over Fallout Online has settled, Multiverse (the Buffy/Firefly MMO platform) is dead in the water, CCP is launching EVE Online character avatars into orbit via balloon, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is boasting 350,000 concurrent users.

          There's no mailbag this week, he relates, because everyone's too busy playing lightsabers with their friends, which is probably true.

          He also thanks BioWare for teaching him how to /getdown... and I think you should tune in at the five-minute mark to see his moves for yourself. The video's tucked behind the break for your amusement!

          Continue reading The MMO Report: Cool balloon bro edition

          MassivelyThe MMO Report: Cool balloon bro edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          New Guild Wars update brings major Elementalist changes

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 05:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , ,

          Ele. <3
          It's finally here: ArenaNet has released the Guild Wars Elementalist update. While not a complete overhaul, the update is still huge: Nearly 40 skills received significant changes, some exciting new functionalities and mechanics were introduced, and a core change was made to the game itself with the Ele class in mind.

          Elementalist doublecast skills, "a new type of spell that casts on you as well as your target," are part of this update. Several current Ele skills were reworked to fall under the doublecast umbrella. Even more skills got changes to make the Elementalist more versatile in varying situations, adding extra functionality to some and changing how others work entirely.

          Finally, hard mode enemies were given a pretty big change: Their armor levels were lowered and their health was raised. Previously, Elementalists were at a bit of a disadvantage in hard mode because the increased AL of all foes meant a big decrease in the amount of damage Elementalists did. This change means that Eles will start seeing much larger damage numbers, making them more of an asset in hard mode.

          As with most big Guild Wars updates, this one comes with lots of explanation and commentary from the Live Team. It wraps up with a promise that the devs are not finished with the Ele by a long shot: "In the next few months, we'll evaluate the shifts created in the metagame as a result of these changes and make further adjustments to skills that are not in line with our intentions. Additionally, we'll be working a second update to address issues with some of the Elementalist non-elite skills as the elites in this update settle into their places."

          MassivelyNew Guild Wars update brings major Elementalist changes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          The Repopulation devs talk stealth, skill lists

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 04:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , , ,

          The Repopulation - there's a lot of blue in this screenshot
          Development continues on The Repopulation, a new sci-fi sandbox MMORPG from Above & Beyond Technologies. The dev team has kicked off 2012 by updating the skill list section of the game's official website, and in addition to the overview, classifications, and ranking verbiage, there's also a link to a Google document showing all the skills currently in production.

          The devs also took the time to answer a couple of random forum questions, among them how combat/crafting interdependency works as well as how the game's stealth system is shaping up. "We don't have the exact disguise system in place yet so I cannot really speculate on it beyond the fact it will be for hiding in plain sight (instead of out of sight with stealth). A spy class is a good idea on what that might work like. The whole idea is to impersonate a certain faction or sub-faction so you won't get attacked," the Xerves says.

          [Thanks to S. Thompson for the tip!]

          MassivelyThe Repopulation devs talk stealth, skill lists originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          Star Wars: The Old Republic gets into the record books

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 03:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , ,

          It did not, however, win an award for
          It remains to be seen if Star Wars: The Old Republic will set a number of records in its lifetime, but it's already made its way into the Guinness Book of World Records for 2012. At over 200,000 lines of recorded dialogue, the game has scored a record for having the largest amount of voice acting not only for a video game but for any entertainment project. The record appears in the Guinness Book of World Records Gamer's Edition, on the stands now in the US and on sale in the UK on the 19th.

          Of course, considering the amount of press the game has received for its voice cast, we suspect this won't come as a huge surprise, but it's interesting to see. The book also includes a list of the best Star Wars games in the franchise's history, which unsurprisingly includes Knights of the Old Republic, perhaps a harbinger of SWTOR's future.

          MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic gets into the record books originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          Dominus reveals its bounty hunting mechanics

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 02:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , , ,

          Dominus - this dude may or may not be a bounty hunter
          We're not sure what it is about bounty hunters that makes them cooler than cool, but there's no denying the appeal of a profession that characters like Boba Fett, John Marston, and Rick Deckard call their own.

          Dominus is hoping to capture some of that badassery in a bottle via its bounty hunting system, and a new update on the game's official website has all the details. In a nutshell, players are able to place bounties on four of their enemies at a time, and the only other consideration is the amount of money you're willing to put toward your revenge.

          Hunting a bounty involves accepting a contract via an NPC, and you'll be alerted as to your target's zone location if he's online. After you make the kill, you'll be paid on the spot, and any other players who accepted the same bounty contract will find it removed from their mission log. There's more, but you'll need to head to the Dominus website to read it.

          MassivelyDominus reveals its bounty hunting mechanics originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          Massively Exclusive: Age of Wushu's launch trailer flips over the heads of the competition

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 01:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , ,

          Age of Wushu
          Tomorrow, Snail Games USA will officially announce its newest title, Age of Wushu -- but we've got an exclusive sneak peek to share with you before that happens!

          Sporting heavy Chinese themes and aesthetics, Age of Wushu is designed to allow players to pull off mystical, physics-defying martial arts moves like those you would see in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (or, really, any Kung Fu film).

          The official trailer for the title, which you can see after the jump, showcases Age of Wushu's beauty and grace... as well as its lethal underpinnings. Characters attack in slow-motion while performing seemingly impossible Matrix-like jumps through space.

          We'll be looking forward to seeing if the allure of fantastic martial arts will be enough to set Age of Wushu apart from the pack, but considering that the devs are promising that we can run up the sides of buildings, we suspect it might be one to check out no matter what. Plus, "wushu" is way fun to say.

          Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Age of Wushu's launch trailer flips over the heads of the competition

          MassivelyMassively Exclusive: Age of Wushu's launch trailer flips over the heads of the competition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

            Ask Massively: We do not make the games edition

            Posted: 05 Jan 2012 12:00 PM PST

            Filed under: , , , ,

            It's been entirely too long since I got to use a WildStar screenshot for a header.
            Sometimes, I get questions for Ask Massively that I just can't use, and not because they're questions to which the answer is just "I don't know," although I try to steer away from those as frequently as possible because it's such an unsatisfying answer. No, sometimes we get questions for which we're not even the right people to answer, period. You can ask me to put a feature in EverQuest II or to consider developing it, but I don't work on EverQuest II. Heck, I don't even play it.

            This week's installment of Ask Massively has been pared down to the questions that I can actually answer, including answers about the potential audience of the upcoming WildStar and the future of Star Wars: The Old Republic as it pertains to allowing user-coded addons. If you've got a question you would like answered in a future installment of the column, just send it along to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited slightly for length and/or clarity.

            Continue reading Ask Massively: We do not make the games edition

            MassivelyAsk Massively: We do not make the games edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

              Behind the Mask: Angels and Devils

              Posted: 05 Jan 2012 11:00 AM PST

              Filed under: , , , , ,

              Last week on Behind the Mask, we talked about the basic dimensional structure of the Champions universe and its parallels with the Kabballah. This week, we take you a bit deeper into the mythos of Champions Online. We'll take a look at the Astral Plane, or Yetzirah, and the key places that exist there. I'll be focusing heavily on the Quaternion -- a series of four planar zones within the Lower Astral Plane that embody most fantasy elements critical to the Champions Universe.

              If you have ever wondered about demons and angels, this is a must-read. The Vibora Bay story arc paints a very unusual picture about the nature of these planes, and we'll be covering just what Heaven and Hell are in respect to that story. We'll also be covering faeries, elves, dwarves, and other popular fantasy elements. If you're planning on creating a roleplaying character who fits into a fantasy subtype, travels through dimensions, or just uses magic, this information will be critical to you!

              Continue reading Behind the Mask: Angels and Devils

              MassivelyBehind the Mask: Angels and Devils originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

              Permalink | Email this | Comments

                The Guild Counsel: Favorite moments from the Massively livestream

                Posted: 05 Jan 2012 10:00 AM PST

                Filed under: , , , ,

                SWG final moments
                I'm sure you know about Massively's ever-expanding video channel. But what you might not know is that over the past year, I've done a little MMO walkabout, sampling as many different games as I could on my character Mmognaut. What I was particularly interested in was branching out and getting to know the communities that make these games what they are, and the Massively livestream was a great way to do that while giving the viewers a chance to experience it too.

                Through livestreaming and Twitch TV, I've had a great opportunity to explore dozens of MMOs over the past year, often with my co-host Jeremy Stratton. In my weekly column here, I often focus on common issues that happen within a guild, but I've also looked at MMO communities on the whole, and that should include the community that's grown here at Massively. What's really neat is that there's an overlapping at times during these shows, where the in-game communities of the MMO we're showcasing mesh with the Massively community, and it's made for some fantastic moments. Join me in this week's Guild Counsel as I look back over my favorite moments from the past year.

                Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Favorite moments from the Massively livestream

                MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Favorite moments from the Massively livestream originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

                Permalink | Email this | Comments

                  The Secret World designer talks template deck outfits, customization, and more

                  Posted: 05 Jan 2012 09:00 AM PST

                  Filed under: , , , , , , ,

                  The Secret World - Dragon trailer
                  A few Funcom elves were actually working on The Secret World over Christmas it seems, and designer Martin Bruusgaard has some interesting things to say about that -- as well as a couple of gameplay tidbits -- in a new interview at CryGaia.net.

                  One of the aspects of The Secret World that sets it apart from your typical MMORPG is the huge amount of character customization available through the game's clothing items. Bruusgaard says that some of these items are purchased from in-game vendors, some from the cash shop, and some of them are reward-based.

                  "One thing I'm particularly excited about is the template deck outfits. Template decks are a set of powers that enable the player to fulfill a certain role, and this is comparable to Magic the Gathering starter decks. On completion of any of these templates the player is given an outfit that reflects what that deck is. So for instance if a player completes the ninja deck, he or she is given a ninja costume," Bruusgaard explains.

                  He goes on to talk about cross-faction PvP team-ups (currently slated for post-launch) and The Secret World's sound and music suite. Read all about it at CryGaia.net.

                  MassivelyThe Secret World designer talks template deck outfits, customization, and more originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

                  Permalink | Email this | Comments

                  MMORPG News

                  MMORPG News


                  General: The MMO Report: The First of 2012

                  Posted: 06 Jan 2012 05:47 AM PST

                  In this week's MMO Report, Casey Schreiner takes a look at some of the big stories of the past week including the announcement that CCP would be launching EVE Online player names into space, the early success of Star Wars: The Old Republic and the settlement (maybe) of the Fallout Online lawsuit.

                  CABAL Online: Games-Masters Takes Over EU Service

                  Posted: 06 Jan 2012 05:41 AM PST

                  Gameforge has announced that its EU CABAL Online servers will be closing effective Friday, January 6th and that EU service for the game will be taken over by Games-Masters. Gameforge players will be given the opportunity to transfer their characters to the new Games-Masters servers.

                  General: Age of Wushu Coming to North America

                  Posted: 06 Jan 2012 05:30 AM PST

                  Snail Games has announced that it is bringing a new MMO to North Americans. Called 'Age of Wushu', the game takes place during 2000 years of Wuxia in China. Developers also have said that the game does not rely on levels and classes.

                  Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Official SWTOR Review

                  Posted: 05 Jan 2012 08:59 AM PST

                  The day has finally arrived and we are ready to publish our official MMORPG.com review of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Sit back and get ready to read THE most comprehensive and authoritative review of the game that has taken the world by storm. Enjoy!

                  End of Nations: Warfront #105 Released

                  Posted: 05 Jan 2012 10:14 AM PST

                  The End of Nations team has sent out episode #105 that features interviews of prominent players as well as an introduction to the French EoN community manager. Check it out!

                  Xsyon Earth 2012: Prelude: Looking Forward

                  Posted: 05 Jan 2012 09:20 AM PST

                  The Xsyon team has sent word about what it will be working on now that 2012 has officially kicked off. Included in the year's plans are an improved quest system, a new trade system that will incorporate player stores and much more.

                  The Secret World: Dungeon Making Process

                  Posted: 05 Jan 2012 07:48 AM PST

                  MMORPG.com has partnered with Funcom to bring our readers an inside look at how dungeons are created for The Secret World. Penned by Senior Designer Brent Ellison, it's a fascinating behind the scenes look for one of the most keenly anticipated games for 2012. Read on!

                  General gaming

                  General gaming


                  Despite the ESA's Stance, Not All Game Companies Support SOPA

                  Posted: 05 Jan 2012 04:49 PM PST

                  SOPA infographic

                  An official list of supporters for the much-maligned Stop Online Piracy Act, better known to many as SOPA, shows that the videogame industry is in the bill's corner. That's not to say every company in the industry has come right out and said as much, but many of them do at least support it by proxy as members of the Entertainment Software Association, the game industry's trade association. The ESA has made it official that it supports the anti-piracy bill which many fear, if passed, will censor the Internet and stifle innovation.

                  The bill's name might make it sound noble enough -- stomping out piracy is good news for everyone except those who illegally download and distribute copyrighted content -- but there are numerous reasons why opponents believe it should not be passed. Among the most important of these is the vague wording with which the bill is written, a serious problem for a piece of legislation. There are countless articles, videos, and infographics devoted to the subject, but at its most basic level it threatens to result in sites being shut down, startups facing potentially unfair legal action, and pervasive censorship as websites -- including social media sites like Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook -- seek to prevent their users from sharing anything that the website in question could be held accountable for.

                  Vita Sales Continue to Struggle Post-Launch in Japan

                  Posted: 05 Jan 2012 10:38 AM PST

                  PlayStation Vita

                  Following its mid-December debut in which it sold over 321,000 units (later reported to be closer to 325,000), the system has not continued to enjoy the same degree of sales success.

                  In its second week, the system sold 72,479 units (compared with 101,121 PlayStation Portable units and 482,200 3DS units), and now in its third week, covering December 26 through January 1, the system sold just 42,648, again trailing the PSP at 62,746 and 3DS at 197,952. These numbers come courtesy of Media Create, as reported by Andriasang, and paint a somewhat ominous picture for the system in its early days.

                  XCOM Gets its Rightful Strategy Game Sequel This Fall

                  Posted: 05 Jan 2012 09:21 AM PST

                  XCOM: Enemy Unknown

                  Update: In a press release sent out by 2K Games, Enemy Unknown is described as a re-imagined version of the original XCOM from 1993. The new game introduces "an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth" as players assume the role of XCOM commander, XCOM being the name of the secret paramilitary group tasked with protecting the planet "by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics."

                  Original Story: While the revival of X-COM was exciting news for fans when it was revealed back in 2010, many were upset that its strategy game roots had been abandoned in favor of that of a first-person shooter. For those who are still lamenting the franchise's new direction, there's great news to be had today: an XCOM strategy game is in the works at Firaxis Games.

                  Total Pageviews

                  statcounter

                  View My Stats