MMO News

MMO News


Age of Wushu

Posted: 06 Jan 2012 04:52 PM PST

Age of Wushu, known as Age of Wulin in Europe, is a historical fantasy martial arts MMO set in the Ming Dynasty (Jianghu). Visit historical locations, and train in different schools of martial arts without the restraints of classes or levels for a unique Wuxia experience.

age-of-wushu-mountain

Publisher: Snail Games
Playerbase: ??
Graphics: High
Type: MMORPG
EXP Rate: ??
PvP: ??
Filesize: ??

Pros: +Can learn from any martial arts school. +Character actions have consequences on storyline. +Can train your character offline.

Cons: -Limited information available.

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Overview

Age of Wushu Overview

Set in the Ming Dynasty, players embark on a journey to master the martial arts skills of their choosing. Age of Wushu will feature eight schools of martial arts teaching, which players can learn from at their own choosing, allowing them to mix skills in unique ways. The game has no level system or class system, meaning that any fight can prove to be a challenge.

Age of Wushu Screenshots

Age of Wushu Featured Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

Full Review

Age of Wushu Review

Coming Soon…

Screenshots

Age of Wushu Screenshots

Coming Soon…

Videos

Age of Wushu Videos

Click here to view the embedded video.

Links

Age of Wushu Links

Official Game Page

System Requirements

Age of Wushu System Requirements

Coming soon. . .

Pit of War

Posted: 06 Jan 2012 04:28 PM PST

Pit of War is a browser-based gladiator simulation, in which you play the role of slave master. Take control of several gladiator slaves, manage your stables, and battle for blood and glory in the arenas!

pit-of-war-theatrics

Publisher: Outcast Games
Playerbase: Low
Graphics: Medium
Type: MMO
EXP Rate: Low
PvP: Open
Filesize: N/A

Pros: +Manage multiple gladiators. +In-depth skill trees. +Quick to play.

Cons: -Slow-paced. -Limited actions per day. -Gladiators can die and be lost permanently.

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Overview

Pit of War Overview

Enter the Great Realm, where life is cheap and serves to entertain the violent, raucous crowds of the arena. You take your place as a Master of Slaves, and purchase gladiators to train and serve you in the arena for money and fame. Each gladiator can be specialized in one of three types of fighting (Rage, War and Theatrics), equipped, and sent on daily challenges or to battle other gladiators in the arena.

Pit of War Screenshots

Pit of War Featured Video

Full Review

Pit of War Review

Coming Soon…

Screenshots

Pit of War Screenshots

Coming Soon…

Videos

Pit of War Videos

Links

Pit of War Links

Official Game Page

System Requirements

Pit of War System Requirements

Coming soon. . .

Project Blackout celebrates first anniversary

Posted: 06 Jan 2012 12:59 PM PST

Project Blackout is celebrating its first anniversary, with a series of special events for players at all levels.

Starting on January 11, Project Blackout will offer two weeks worth of events, including a 50% boost to experience and credits and gift boxes containing M4 Sr-16 Lv1 3Ds, M4 SPR Lv2s, Deluxe Shadow 3Ds, or Type II Vest 3Ds. Players who have been playing since November 11, 2011 will also receive a Famas G2 Supply Kit. Players who hit experience milestones during the two week event will also get special prizes and credits.

The First Blood! Event is also returning during the celebration, and players can earn the UMP45 Extension SMG, the AK 47-EXT, or even – for the luckiest – a permanent weapon of choice.

Project Blackout is published by SG Interactive, which also publishes Grand Chase and Trickster Online.

project-blackout-sandstorm

Project Blackout Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

SG Interactive’s Project Blackout Celebrates its First Anniversary with a Bang

Irvine, Calif.Jan. 6, 2011Project Blackout, an online first person shooter (FPS) published by SG Interactive, celebrates its first anniversary with a line-up of exciting and lucrative events for old and new players alike. The first anniversary events will run for two weeks, starting on Wednesday, Jan. 11. Online gamers can choose to side with either Aegis Inc. or The Corps, and join the gunfight by signing up and downloading the free-to-play game at its official site.

Events include:

  • Everyone is Invited to the Party - Between Jan. 11 and 25, every player that steps into the battleground will receive 50 percent more experience points and credits, as well as Gift Boxes containing random items such as theM4 SR-16 Lv1 3D, M4 SPR Lv2, Deluxe Shadow 3D or Type II Vest 3D.
  • Salute to the Dedicated Players - SG Interactive will reward the devoted players that have been playing the game since Nov. 11, 2011 with a free Famas G2 Supply Kit. Also, those that achieve EXP milestones during the event period will receive prizes and credits such as the spinning M1887 shotgun, also known as the “Terminator 2 shotgun.”
  • First Blood! Event Rerun -SG Interactive is bringing back its First Blood! Event. The deadly UMP45 Extension submachine gun awaits the brawny soldiers that reach Corporal (level 3) during the event. Players can reach higher levels for more prizes such as the AK 47-EXT, and one lucky winner will receive a permanent weapon of choice available in shop.

Bright Shadow opens to US players

Posted: 06 Jan 2012 12:13 PM PST

Bright Shadow, which launched its Curse of Hera expansion last week, has officially made itself open for players in the United States through the beanfun! portal.

New US players will receive a special beginner’s pack that includes 3 Phoenix Feathers, one quick recovery, 20 Tetris Rain, two 2x Experience books that last 3 hours each, and a Magic Kitten pet. The pack is worth about $20, and helps US players start catching up to their European mates.

Curse of Hera, the new expansion, also offers eight new classes, 30 new areas, and over 400 new enemies and cards to collect.

Gamania also publishes Lucent Heart.

bright-shadow-panda-shield

Bright Shadow Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

GAMANIA OPENS BRIGHT SHADOW TO U.S. BEANFUN! PLAYERS


Offers Free, Exclusive "Beginners Pack", Valued at Over $20 USD


IRVINE, Calif. – January 6, 2012 – Gamania Digital Entertainment announces Bright Shadow is now open to anyone using a U.S. Beanfun! account. Since a successful European re-launch back in July, Bright Shadow was only available to E.U. Beanfun! players. Now, just in time for the Curse of Hera Expansion, U.S. players can join in on the fun and receive a special bonus-package invitation.

Bright Shadow is an anime-inspired card collecting MMORPG where players can choose from over 20 classes to explore a lush world that's filled with exciting dungeons and more than 500 collectible monsters. Providing countless hours of free-to-play entertainment, players can use monster cards in battle, learn special skills and transformations, or just collect and trade with friends.

Players both new and old will be greeted with a slew of fresh content, as the Curse of Hera Expansion just launched on January 5th. The update brings 30 new areas and dungeons, eight new classes, over 40 new bosses, and over 400 new enemies and monster cards to collect.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXlIxW_hsL4

Because E.U. Beanfun! players had a head start, everyone who joins Bright Shadow using a U.S. Beanfun! account will receive an exclusive "Beginners Pack". Valued at about $20 USD, it includes the following items:

  • Phoenix Feather x 3 (respawn on location)
  • Quick Recovery x 1 (30% HP recovery speed increase)
  • Tetris Rain x 20 (rains Tetris)
  • 2x EXP Book – 3 hours x2
  • Pet – Magic Kitten x 1

Card collecting and MMORPG fans alike can get their fix by signing up at the Bright Shadow homepage: http://www.brightshadowonline.com/ and join the community on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/BrightShadowOfficial.

Repulse begins closed beta

Posted: 06 Jan 2012 11:36 AM PST

Aeria Games has announced the start of closed beta testing for Repulse.

Repulse’s closed beta will feature nine unique game modes (including Capture the Flag and Death Match), three classes that can be swapped as needed in battle, and more. Aeria Games will also be hosting a series of contests for participants, including daily in-game events, rewards for the player with the most kills, and several Facebook and forum events that include polls, giveaways, and contests. Closed beta participants will also receive a Gold Plated Hammer for their time.

Aeria Games also publishes Wolf Team and Last Chaos.

repulse-sniper

Repulse Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

New Sci-Fi FPS Repulse Enters Closed Beta Testing

Fast-Paced First Person Shooter Joins Aeria Games Catalog

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – January 6, 2012 – Aeria Games, a leading global publisher of free-to-play online games, announced today that Closed Beta testing has begun for Repulse, its newest sci-fi themed first person shooter (FPS) game.

In Repulse, players must create a soldier and enlist to help save the future of mankind by battling enemies in a variety of player-versus-player (PvP) and player-versus-environment (PvE) matches. The game's fast-paced combat is fueled by an arsenal of futuristic weaponry and enhanced movement abilities. Matches take place across a diverse selection of engaging environments. Each map is strikingly rendered in crisp, 3D graphics and loaded with plenty of sniper hideouts, choke points and other twists designed to create an edge-of-your-seat shootout between players.

Repulse fires up the free-to-play FPS genre with these explosive features
:

  • Thrilling Game Modes – Test your skills in nine action-packed game modes, each with a unique objective. From Capture the Flag to Death Match to Invasion, each game mode delivers non-stop blistering battlefield action.
  • Switch Classes – Cloak and assassinate enemies as the deadly Sniper; fire off high powered weaponry as the Assault class; heal your teammates as an Engineer. All classes can utilize the game's signature Boost Jump move to claim victory! Each class possesses unique abilities, yet all are fully equipped for combat.
  • Closed Beta Events – Dozens of forum contests, Facebook giveaways, and exciting in-game events will take place during Closed Beta! Participate in rank contests or post a screenshot of your greatest victory to win fun prizes. All Closed Beta participants will receive an exclusive Gold Plated Hammer!

Visit the Repulse Facebook page and the Repulse Closed Beta News Alert for a full description of Closed Beta events. Like all titles at Aeria Games, Repulse is free to download and free to play!

Snail Games announces Age of Wushu

Posted: 06 Jan 2012 10:48 AM PST

A new MMORPG is joining the lineup for Snail Games USA – Age of Wushu, the same game known as Age of Wulin in Europe.

Age of Wushu offers players the choice of six unique storylines and eight martial arts schools. A game without classes or levels, players will be affected by the consequences of their actions, which can include stealing knowledge from other schools and training offline as an NPC. The game also boasts over 5,000 equipment upgrades, 17 professions, and aerial combat.

Snail Games also publishes The Chosen and Ministry of War.

ageofwushu_bridge

Age of Wushu Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

China's Most Anticipated MMORPG Age of Wushu Announced Stateside
5 Years in the Making, Snail Games USA Brings AAA to Free-to-Play

LOS ANGELES—January 6, 2012—Snail Games USA today unveiled their colossal upcoming MMORPG, Age of Wushu. Representing more than 2000 years of Wuxia tradition, Age of Wushu thrusts players into a personal adventure, in a world where classes and levels no longer matter and where every action is judged harshly by the world around you. Players will learn that nothing is as it seems when the official International Test for Age of Wushu launches soon.

Prepare to embark on a journey unlike none other, literally. After choosing one of six unique story lines, players become the protagonists of their own individual stories in Age of Wushu. Every action bears a consequence and every NPC has his or her own opinions about each player. Players will also be in control of where and how to hone their skills in Wushu. Players can choose one of eight martial arts schools to train, or invade another school to steal knowledge not offered at their current alma mater. Training can even take place offline by choosing one of 30 offline activities to keep a character progressing in-game as an NPC.

Without the traditional MMO crutch of levels and classes, it is impossible to predict the outcome of a fight. Yes, that means that beggar on the street can be a traveling Grand Master! With over 5,000 equipment upgrades, 32 guild sites, 17 professions and a range of amazing aerial combat, Age of Wushu will puts each player in control of their experience.

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.

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    The Firing Line: The pleasures and pitfalls of PlanetSide 2

    Posted: 06 Jan 2012 07:00 AM PST

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    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.

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      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.

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        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.

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          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.

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          The MMO Report: Cool balloon bro edition

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 06:00 PM PST

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          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.

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          New Guild Wars update brings major Elementalist changes

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 05:00 PM PST

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          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.

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          The Repopulation devs talk stealth, skill lists

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 04:00 PM PST

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          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.

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          Star Wars: The Old Republic gets into the record books

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 03:00 PM PST

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          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.

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          Dominus reveals its bounty hunting mechanics

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 02:00 PM PST

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          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.

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

          Posted: 05 Jan 2012 01:00 PM PST

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          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.

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            Ask Massively: We do not make the games edition

            Posted: 05 Jan 2012 12:00 PM PST

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            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.

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              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.

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                The Guild Counsel: Favorite moments from the Massively livestream

                Posted: 05 Jan 2012 10:00 AM PST

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                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.

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

                  Posted: 05 Jan 2012 09:00 AM PST

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                  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.

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