| Captain's Log Supplemental: An exclusive interview with STO's Daniel Stahl Posted: 04 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT |
| Captain's Log: An exclusive look at STO's Season Six starbases Posted: 04 Jun 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Captain's Log So, you wanted to know what to expect with the starbases announced in Season Six of Star Trek Online? Well, aren't you lucky that you read Massively? Today, we've got for you the most up-to-date information Cryptic Studios has released regarding STO's new fleet starbase and fleet advancement system soon to be seen in the highly anticipated Season Six patch! That's right: Massively has the exclusive insight to the new starbases, and there's so much information that it will take two columns to cover! Beyond the cut, we'll highlight the new fleet advancement system as revealed by Cryptic Studios, and later today, a special supplemental edition of the Captain's Log will feature an exclusive interview with Star Trek Online's Executive Producer, Daniel Stahl, to answer some the questions generated by the announcement. So order more power to your inertial dampers and grab the rail because here it comes! Continue reading Captain's Log: An exclusive look at STO's Season Six starbases  Captain's Log: An exclusive look at STO's Season Six starbases originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| TERA offers instant streaming demo courtesy of Gaikai Posted: 04 Jun 2012 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, TERA, Miscellaneous If you've been curious about TERA but are unsure of putting your money down or waiting for a lengthy download, then En Masse has a treat for you today. The studio has partnered up with cloud gaming service Gaikai to offer an instant streaming version of TERA's demo. Players can get right into the game with no download by visiting the new TERA demo page. Massively tested this out and confirmed that the game does indeed launch within seconds and allows you to test drive one of three pre-made characters in this action combat world. There is no cost associated with using this feature. VP of Publishing Chris Lee thinks this is a perfect way to spread the word of TERA: "Gaikai's powerful cloud streaming service gives players a chance to enter the action combat world of TERA almost instantly. Within seconds of accessing TERA through Gaikai, players will be immersed in the skill-based combat of a true action MMO where they will experience the depth of a traditional MMO alongside the visceral satisfaction of an action game." Gaikai offers tailored cloud-based gaming services for studios. We recently spoke with Gaikai's CO Dave Perry about his company's ambitions and goals within the MMO industry. [Source: En Masse press release] TERA offers instant streaming demo courtesy of Gaikai originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter addresses player poll Posted: 04 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Final Fantasy XIV, Community Q&A, Dev Diaries, Crafting Final Fantasy XIV Producer Naoki Yoshida has returned for another producer's letter, this time addressing the recent poll sent out to players across the world. Yoshida personally addressed points regarding combat, crafting, the synthesis system, and version 2.0. Yoshida observes two points of constructive criticism will be used as FFXIV continues to be revised: "Many of you said that combos are too restrictive... We also received many comments that character positioning is bothersome and difficult." In regards to the upcoming version 2.0, he notes that the most excitement seems to be swirling about the new classes and jobs, improved level design, additional maps, and the graphics engine update. "Interestingly," Yoshida writes, "Japanese players are the ones who're most looking forward to the new housing system -- a national trait, perhaps?" Yoshida also expressed concern that a good chunk of players do not read player blogs on the Lodestone, not to mention that a vast majority of them simply do not use the Lodestone to post their own articles. He hopes this will change with 2.0, as the Lodestone will be receiving a full renovation at that time. Final Fantasy XIV producer's letter addresses player poll originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MV Guide: June 4 - 10, 2012 Posted: 04 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Livestream, Miscellaneous, MV Guide MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV. Every week, the Massively Stream Team logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises each week, so you'll find a variety of titles to watch. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, or simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule, and let us know if there's a specific game you'd like to see streamed next week! Continue reading MV Guide: June 4 - 10, 2012 MV Guide: June 4 - 10, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: What do you hope to learn from E3? Posted: 04 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous So E3 2012 is a day away, and Massively is gearing up to stagger drunkenly around the Los Angeles Convention Center schmoozing with game devs. Oh wait, that's not us, but we are excited to see some of the MMOs on display at this year's con, including The Elder Scrolls Online, Neverwinter, Defiance, the Riders of Rohan expansion for Lord of the Rings Online, and dozens more. For some of us, it's our first E3. For others, it's old hat at this point. One thing's for certain, though: Gaming's Graceland has a lot to offer both vets and newbs alike. For today's breakfast topic, share your thoughts on this year's event. More specifically, what do you hope to learn from E3?  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!The Daily Grind: What do you hope to learn from E3? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Aventurine to temporarily suspend purchase price for Darkfall Posted: 04 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, News items, Promotions, Sandbox Over the weekend, sandbox fans were given something to look forward to -- the chance to play a game without having to buy it. Aventurine announced an upcoming promotion where the purchase price for the fantasy MMORPG Darkfall client will be removed temporarily, allowing players to experience the game by paying only the monthly subscription fee. There is also something in the works involving skill gains to run concurrently, but no further details have been released. Although the specific start date has not been announced, it is expected to begin in two weeks and last only until Darkfall 2.0 launches. Players wanting to get a head start on the big update may not want to miss this opportunity. For a look at some of the changes coming with 2.0, check out Some Assembly Required. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!] Aventurine to temporarily suspend purchase price for Darkfall originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Get a good look at Guild Wars 2's Gendarran Fields Posted: 03 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-play Those of you not planning to tool around in Guild Wars 2's next beta weekend (there's got to be at least a couple of you, right? guys...?) will probably appreciate PC Gamer's latest round of video coverage. The website has posted several clips centered on questing and general shenanigans, so expect to get a look at evil pirates, firefighting tasks, and various and sundry activities in and around the Gendarran Fields zone. The clips are pretty short, so you may find that they're just about right for whetting your Tyrian appetite without spoiling all of the surprises. Check out the first two after the cut, then head to PC Gamer for the rest. Continue reading Get a good look at Guild Wars 2's Gendarran Fields Get a good look at Guild Wars 2's Gendarran Fields originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MMO Week in Review: Have fun storming the legion Posted: 03 Jun 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Massively Meta, Week in Review, Miscellaneous At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post. Even in this age of microtransactions and mini-updates, the classic MMO expansion refuses to die, and this week Trion Worlds lengthened the lifespan of that tried-and-true content-delivery method with its announcement of RIFT's upcoming expansion, Storm Legion. In it, players will find themselves racing to level 60, dabbling in housing, donning capes, sampling new souls, rambling across new continents, and dipping into -- wait for it -- story-driven quest lines. Jump past the break for the rest of this week's top MMO stories. Continue reading MMO Week in Review: Have fun storming the legion MMO Week in Review: Have fun storming the legion originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| EVE Evolved: Hulk hunting in highsec Posted: 03 Jun 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Guilds, Professions, PvP, EVE Evolved, Guides, Sandbox As it's a sandbox game, a big part of what makes EVE Online special is the interesting things players make and do within the game world that developers didn't anticipate. It's ultimately the players who collectively shape the game world, in extreme cases even overturning some of the developed game mechanics. Most players think of high-security space as a safe place to mine and run missions, with CONCORD police keeping a watchful eye on players and destroying any ship that breaks the law. But in EVE you're never truly safe anywhere but inside a station. With the right ship setup, it's possible to kill a target in the few seconds before the police ships arrive to turn you into a smoking wreck. In 2008, GoonSwarm alliance launched its infamous JihadSwarm campaign aiming to suicide gank every mining barge in high-security space. The imaginary safety bubble that miners had lived in for years burst, and highsec mining temporarily became one of the game's most dangerous professions. When Helicity Boson later kicked off the first Hulkageddon event, pirates competed to see who could destroy the most mining barges, and miners in high-security space were prime targets. Hulkageddon went on to become a regular event, with achievements to be won and billions of ISK in sponsored prizes. Recently, Hulkageddon V took an interesting turn when Goonswarm Federation pledged to keep the event running permanently by paying players 100 million ISK for every 10 tech 2 mining barges they kill. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at Hulkageddon from both sides of the fence, with tips on how to suicide gank mining barges and how to stay safe when mining. Continue reading EVE Evolved: Hulk hunting in highsec EVE Evolved: Hulk hunting in highsec originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| One Shots: Orrery is an awesome word Posted: 03 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Massively Meta, One Shots, Miscellaneous Today's One Shots is going to make you smarter because it's got an orrery in it. What's an orrery? It's a 3-D clockwork planetarium that mimics the solar system, and there's an amazing one in this lovely Guild Wars 2 beta screenshot by Brazokie. In fact, Brazokie sent in six stunning pics along with this cry for help (kidding!): I have too many! They are all pretty! Please pick one, or two, or three... Well, I've picked two plus two more from our stash of One Shots submissions, and they're all in full color behind the break! Continue reading One Shots: Orrery is an awesome word One Shots: Orrery is an awesome word originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Rise and Shiny: The Pride of Taern Posted: 03 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Screenshots, Trailers, Game mechanics, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Rise and Shiny, Livestream I have to be honest. Well, you should hope I would have to be honest each week, but let's just say that I often need to cull the many thoughts I have about some of the games I find, simply for sake of space. I try to avoid using too many general terms or categories about MMO gaming because there are always exceptions to every rule. In this case, however, I have to be very general. There is a certain subsection of MMOs that seem to come from some foreign land; they have an odd name, possibly host broken-English text on their websites ( loose instead of lose is one of the earmarks), and are hard to figure out. I'm possibly the most open-minded and schooled dude you could meet when it comes to MMOs. I'm proud of that, but when I see one of these odd ducks, I cringe. I know I'm in for a week of suffering through bugs, figuring out the very basics of the game, and trying to find an ounce of fun to report on. Also (and this is the bad part), they always seem to come from places that are blond and cold. Like Norway. Or Sweden. You know, the places really great, dark death metal comes from. It turns out this game is from Poland, but that's still very cool. So when I found The Pride of Taern, I thought I was in for another week of busted English, horrible gameplay, and not an ounce of fun. At this point, however, I've had a freaking blast. Continue reading Rise and Shiny: The Pride of Taern Rise and Shiny: The Pride of Taern originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Repopulation seeks Kickstarter funding Posted: 03 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Promotions, Sandbox Sandbox fans are probably feeling the pinch on their wallets of late with the surge of Kickstarter projects. The Repopulation is joining the trend with a project that's just kicked off to secure funding for further development. That means incentive rewards, stretch goals, and of course, new information about the game as it moves through development. The funding goal is set at a fairly modest $25,000 and includes several noteworthy incentives for backers. In the lower tiers of funding, players can enjoy such benefits as extra cash in the game when it goes live, early access to the game, and special tokens to unlock unique rewards. Players who have plenty of money to donate can move on up to having character names attached to game objects and custom-generated content. It's a nice set of rewards, and if you're interested in the game's future, you've got plenty of time before the Kickstarter closes. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!] The Repopulation seeks Kickstarter funding originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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