| Mists of Pandaria opening cinematic will premiere at gamescom 2012 Posted: 29 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT |
| The Firing Line: Heroes & Generals dev talks planes, boats, and massive FPS action Posted: 29 Jun 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Business models, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, Opinion, War, Free-to-play, Browser, The Firing Line I've become fairly obsessed with Heroes & Generals lately. The browser-based World War II shooter-cum-strategy game is still in beta, but it's wicked fun to play (and to watch). If you missed our previous coverage, you'll need to know that H&G is the brainchild of Reto-Moto, a firm composed of Hitman franchise veterans based in Copenhagen. Reto-Moto game director Jacob Andersen was kind enough to field a few of my questions regarding the title's claim to massive FPS action. He also talked at length about the merits of connecting with the fan community as well as the game's aerial, amphibious, and ground-based aspirations. Join us after the cut. Continue reading The Firing Line: Heroes & Generals dev talks planes, boats, and massive FPS action  The Firing Line: Heroes & Generals dev talks planes, boats, and massive FPS action originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Square Enix ranks highest in average salary for Japanese game companies Posted: 29 Jun 2012 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous If making the most money is a top priority when choosing which gaming company to work for (as if working on games isn't enough!), the go-to company in Japan is Square Enix. According to Nensyu Labo, a company that analyzes salary and income in the island nation, Square Enix ranks at the top of gaming companies for average annual salary. And the race wasn't close either; employees at the company that brings us Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV make on average more than twice as much a year as the next closest competitor, Sony, 21.68 million yen ($273,057) to 9.23 million yen ($116,253). For a look at what other companies made the top 10 list, check out the rankings. Square Enix ranks highest in average salary for Japanese game companies originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Alpha begins for The Repopulation, first day captured on video Posted: 29 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, News items, Sandbox, Housing Many sandbox fans have been eagerly anticipating The Repopulation for a chance to take a personal look at the sci-fi game. For a lucky number of testers, that chance is now; the gates have opened and the first wave of alpha testers have ventured in to experience the world first-hand and help test the game as it moves ever closer to launch. In celebration, Above and Beyond Technologies released a short video highlighting footage from the first day of alpha. What activities do sandbox-hungry players do once they get in? Quite a few dive into structure building while others light up their screens with firefights as they test combat out on various creatures. At least one decides to take a load off and relax by taking advantage of the ability to sit in chairs. For a taste of the alpha action, check out the video after the cut. And for a chance to participate in the alpha, sign up via the application form. [Source: Above and Beyond Technologies press release] Continue reading Alpha begins for The Repopulation, first day captured on video Alpha begins for The Repopulation, first day captured on video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| SOE Live tickets go on sale Posted: 29 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Events, real-world, Promotions, Miscellaneous It may no longer be Fan Faire in name, but SOE's annual fan festival still has the same spirit and focus. The newly branded SOE Live has opened up registrations for this fall's convention, and the studio is offering discounted prices if tickets are purchased now. SOE Live will take place from October 18th through the 21st at Bally's Casino in Las Vegas. The all-access pass for the event is $139, but if you register before August 1st, you can secure a discounted price of $119. Day passes will go for $39 if you're interested in just attending for a day, and evening passes (which just allow access to late-night activities) are $99 a pop. The studio welcomes families, as children ages 12 and below can get in for free. The festival has a full schedule, including dev panels, tournaments, giveaways, and parties. Players can shell out an additional $50 to have Sunday brunch with the devs, or $40 for a laser tag event. SOE Live tickets go on sale originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: Will you be playing Guild Wars 2? Posted: 29 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Launches, New titles, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous By now I'm sure you've heard the announcement that Guild Wars 2 will launch on August 28th, 2012. With pre-purchase incentives already in place, many of the franchise's most hardcore fans have been participating in the beta weekends and are anxiously awaiting the headstart that will begin on August 25th. But not every MMO fan is 100% convinced that this will be the second coming. We've heard from several of you who will be either skipping the game entirely or simply waiting a few months until the newness wears off and the bugs are squashed. So how about you? Will you be playing Guild Wars 2 from day one? From the pre-purchase headstart? Maybe four months later? Let us know in the comments!  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: Will you be playing Guild Wars 2? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Secret World community guide Posted: 29 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT Filed under: Horror, Sci-fi, Culture, Launches, The Secret World, Guides Today marks the beginning of the end of the world -- you know, if you believed in that conspiracy theory stuff. And if you so happened to buy into all that, then you probably are pinning your hopes on a few stalwart souls to wedge themselves between you and the forces of the apocalypse. Those brave people are beginning to wage war in The Secret World as of today (if they have early access and a copy of the necronomicon, of course). As per tradition here at Massively, we want to give everyone a fighting chance by putting as much information at your fingertips as possible. So presented for your approval is our community guide to TSW. Because information is power -- now more than ever. Continue reading The Secret World community guide The Secret World community guide originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Stephen Reid is 'on again' with Gazillion Entertainment Posted: 28 Jun 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Marvel Heroes, Super Hero Squad Online  Stephen Reid, most recently one of the folks steering the consular ship that is the Star Wars: The Old Republic community, has found a home (once again) with Gazillion Entertainment. The industry vet has worked as Gazillion's Community Director previously and says he's both really happy and "strangely nervous" to be back to the job and working on Marvel games. "The future of gaming isn't certain and a 'job for life' doesn't exist. All you can do is follow your passion and your heart and hope it leads somewhere great. That's what I've done for my entire career, and I'm not going to stop now." Reid's now working on the up-and-running Super Hero Squad Online and the soon-to-be-launched Marvel Heroes. If you want to know more about the move, hit up his Tumblr post or listen in on this TORWars.com podcast. Stephen Reid is 'on again' with Gazillion Entertainment originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Ask Massively: I would like to play WildStar now please OK edition Posted: 28 Jun 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Lore, Opinion, Massively Meta, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous At Massively, we all have our pet games, games that we follow with interest and that we want to do well. Some of mine are quite obvious, but if you weren't aware that WildStar is on that list, well, now you know. Come on, it's like Walt Disney's Firefly as an MMO and man everything I see about it just makes me want to start playing yesterday. This is kind of related to the fact that we had two separate interviews about it this week, if you hadn't guessed. It's also somewhat related to this week's Ask Massively questions, seeing as how one of those questions is about the games that we hate. Yes, I know, I did a topical introduction; I'm very ashamed of myself. I also answer a question about fantasy worlds in the distant future. If you've got a question you'd like to see in a future installment of the column, send it along to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity. Continue reading Ask Massively: I would like to play WildStar now please OK edition Ask Massively: I would like to play WildStar now please OK edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Diablo III restrictions for unverified players changed slightly Posted: 28 Jun 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, News items, Diablo III Digital purchasers of Diablo III face a special sort of torment. No, it's not extra content; it's the game restricting players whose credit card information has not yet been verified. Unfortunately, when these restrictions were first put into place, they had the unfortunate side effect of hard-capping the player level at 13 and preventing any progress beyond the first boss of Act I. That was acknowledged as a bug, one that has now been corrected, to the great relief of players everywhere. The other restrictions on unverified players are quite intentional and remain in place, including a prohibition on any use of the auction house and an inability to join public games. Players will find these restrictions lifted as soon as their information is verified, but the official post outlining the prohibitions states that this process can still occasionally take up to 72 hours. So if you need to dive right into the game and can't risk having some restricted play, maybe you should go ahead and buy a boxed copy. Diablo III restrictions for unverified players changed slightly originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Cryptic ups security with Account Guard Posted: 28 Jun 2012 03:00 PM PDT |
| The Summoner's Guidebook: Items and runes for League of Legends' attack damage champions Posted: 28 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Game mechanics, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook Attack damage is a universal thing for most League of Legends champions to build. Even characters that do not normally build AD are commonly played as AD in "joke builds." AD champions also have some of the widest variety of items available. There are a fair number of caster and tank items and a handful of hybrid items, but items that bolster physical attacks are everywhere. This can cause some confusion in what to build, and today we're going to talk about what gives you the most bang for your buck. This article will focus heavily on offense rather than defense for AD champions. We'll cover defense in a later week. Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Items and runes for League of Legends' attack damage champions The Summoner's Guidebook: Items and runes for League of Legends' attack damage champions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Eric Flannum talks Guild Wars 2 mechanics Posted: 28 Jun 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, News items, Guild Wars 2  We know you Guild Wars 2 fans are over the moon about the recently announced release date, but the news doesn't stop there! Eric Flannum, the game's lead designer, has just tackled some questions from Guild Wars 2 Junkies. The interview took a good hard look at World vs World. To begin with, Flannum addresses concerns about people not being able to play WvW on busy servers during peak hours, saying that there's a queue for the center WvW map that players can enter while playing PvE or any of the Borderlands home maps. Additionally, for a short while around the game's launch, players will be able to transfer servers at a reduced fee, which will hopefully aid in the even spread of players across servers and help people find the WvW server that suits their style. He states that the current looting system for WvW is under review, with the goal of keeping WvW looting similar to that in PvE. In response to concerns about the travel time around WvW maps, Flannum points out that captured keeps can be upgraded with waypoints for quicker travel. He also highlights WvW-specific armor, achievements, and titles as character advancement options for WvW players. A few other aspects of the game were covered as well. The question of allowing players to choose their starting weapons in character creation was brought up; Flannum says that's actually a part of the game at one point, but it was discarded once it was clear it gave newer players a disadvantage. He explains that some of the animation issues players complained about are due to bugs that will be fixed, while others are due to the fact that while transition animations are in place for switching directions, characters actually start moving immediately in the new direction as opposed to transitioning from one movement to another. For all the little details, be sure to catch the full interview, complete with a teasing non-answer about whether or not we'll see the Sylvari or Asura in the last beta weekend. Eric Flannum talks Guild Wars 2 mechanics originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| CCP addresses EVE faction warfare exploit, players punished Posted: 28 Jun 2012 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Economy, Events, in-game, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox Last week we brought you the story of five EVE Online players who gamed the new faction warfare mechanics to produce trillions of ISK worth a total of $175,000 US. The players who found the exploit did report it for developers to fix, but not before abusing it for a full two weeks. CCP Games spent the week deliberating and today released its official statement on the exploit and the punishments those involved will face. As market manipulation has always been a legal part of EVE's sandbox gameplay, the lines between exploit and gameplay were not as clear in this case as they could have been. The accounts of those involved will remain in good standing, but all of their ill-gotten gains will be completely removed. The five offenders will essentially be rolled back to where they were before the exploit happened. CCP reminded players that there are rewards for reporting an exploit to developers and that abusing an exploit before reporting it is not considered responsible disclosure. CCP addresses EVE faction warfare exploit, players punished originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Ragnarok Online classic server coming on June 29th Posted: 28 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT |
| The Guild Counsel: Adam Trzonkowski on guild leading and Kickstarter success Posted: 28 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous Adam "Ferrel" Trzonkowski is on a roll of late. He's a successful veteran guild leader, an accomplished author, and most recently, a Kickstarter success story. He's used his experiences in guild and raid management to pen two advice manuals: The Guild Leader's Companion and The Raider's Companion, the second of which was successfully funded through a Kickstarter campaign. And just a few weeks ago, he wrapped up his second Kickstarter fundraising drive for his new project, The Guild Leader's Companion 2nd Edition. Massively had a chance to speak with Adam and pick his brain about leadership, writing, and Kickstarter. Whether you're looking for advice on handling guild drama, seeking a little help getting started with your own writing project, or looking for his secret to Kickstarter success, you'll find the answer after the cut! Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Adam Trzonkowski on guild leading and Kickstarter success The Guild Counsel: Adam Trzonkowski on guild leading and Kickstarter success originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Uncharted Waters Online expands to include The Wild West Posted: 28 Jun 2012 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Expansions, Game mechanics, News items, Free-to-play Yippee-kai-ya and get along li'l doggies! The Wild West is coming to Uncharted Waters Online, bringing with it the chance to explore and discover national monuments in the prairies, grasslands, and steppes of the North American continent. The Great Plains expansion, the third chapter of the Tierra Americana expansion, also introduces a new colony that is the only place in the world where certain grains can grow, which encourages players to build their own cities in that region. What else can seafaring adventures expect in this expansion? The chance to visit the scholarly city of Oxford, the ability to learn the pirate code, new vessels, and new ways to store stuff are all included. And what better way to celebrate a new expansion than by participating in the Epic Sea Feud from June 28th through the 30th? Hoist the anchors and join the fray! [Source: CJ E&M press release] Uncharted Waters Online expands to include The Wild West originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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