| The Road to Mordor: A Wildermore dev chat Posted: 11 May 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Interviews, Patches, Free-to-Play, The Road to Mordor Snow-covered zones aren't exactly new to Lord of the Rings Online, but the upcoming region of Wildermore is a little bit different than the normal Misty Mountain ski resorts. How so? Well, for one thing, it's not supposed to be snowy at all. So what's up with the premature winter in this area of Rohan -- and what are you, the player, going to do about it? That's the basic setup for Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand. The update, which should be going live next week, is what I call the intermission zone: It's the region that Turbine adds between expansions to keep veteran players from bouncing off the walls due to boredom. Lothlorien, Enedwaith, and the Great River are past intermission zones, but Wildermore might be the most fascinating one yet. Thanks to technical issues, I wasn't able to get a first-hand tour of the new region. Instead, I nabbed a heart-to-heart chat with the devs about the intricacies of Wildermore, the next step of the epic story, and plenty of assorted goodies coming with the update! Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A Wildermore dev chat  The Road to Mordor: A Wildermore dev chat originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| WRUP: Next week on Massively edition Posted: 11 May 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Massively Meta, Miscellaneous Next week on Massively, tensions run high as Bree races to prevent Justin from assembling the shards necessary to release The Matrix Online from its shutdown. Meanwhile, Eliot, Matt, and Lis continue their investigation into Allods Online by concluding that it is in fact a game. Shawn investigates the fact that every game in the world is now free-to-play and concludes it's the fault of space aliens from another dimension who are also ghosts. Terry O'Quinn guest stars. We hope you enjoyed this week of Massively, and now it's time for WRUP because no one read the end credits before. Instead of telling you who did what, we've opted to just let you know what we'll be playing over the weekend. You can let us know what you'll be up to in the comments and tune in again next week for the exciting episode that we just explained to you, thereby obviating any need for you to sit down and watch it. Continue reading WRUP: Next week on Massively edition WRUP: Next week on Massively edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: How long can you play a game in one sitting? Posted: 11 May 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous You've got nothing else to do on a lazy Saturday. You've got plenty of food and beverages, a comfortable seat, and a burning desire to get something accomplished in your game of choice. So you settle down, you log in, and you start running around and getting stuff done. Exactly how long is it going to be until you get up? We're not asking about when you get up to grab more chips or run to the bathroom or whatever. Today's question is just about how long you can sit in front of the screen without needing to get up and do something else for a little while. How long can you play a game in one sitting? Does it depend on the game, with group-based games like Final Fantasy XI meriting a longer session compared to solo-friendly titles like World of Warcraft? Or can you tolerate only a certain amount of time before you need a break no matter what?  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: How long can you play a game in one sitting? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Pathfinder Online never closes a door without opening a PvP window Posted: 10 May 2013 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, PvP, News Items, Sandbox, Pathfinder Online Having a settlement you worked hard to build be under constant attack just isn't fun. Pathfinder Online realizes this, which is why settlements are normally defended by large numbers of respawning NPC guards. Not too many to prevent players from scouting a town or stealing a few things, but enough to make a frontal assault fruitless unless you want your corpses to litter the outskirts of town. If that were always the case, though, attacking a settlement would be pointless. So during a brief window every day, the guard respawn rate decreases, numbers thin, and suddenly the town looks much more vulnerable to attack. A well-developed settlement will still have guards, but a coordinated force will be able to eliminate them... unless players step in to defend the settlement. This also solves the problem of having massive attacks come when no one is awake to know what's happening. Read the full details in the latest development blog on the official site. Pathfinder Online never closes a door without opening a PvP window originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Betawatch: May 4 - 10, 2013 Posted: 10 May 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, MMO Industry, News Items, Betawatch, Miscellaneous You don't need to read the rest of this column, folks. City of Steam goes into open beta in two hours, so there is no reason for you to be sitting here when you could be playing that. Oh, and Marvel Heroes is running one last open beta weekend. And UFO Online is also in open beta. Plus, Arcane Saga launched (or re-launched) its beta. There is too much stuff to play for you to be sitting around reading columns about betas. You've got your project right there. Still here? You're really dedicated to that beta list, huh? Well, we appreciate that. And you can find it just past the break as always, and you can feel free to let us know if we missed anything down in the comments just as always. But seriously, you don't even need to close your browser for City of Steam. That's accessibility right there. Continue reading Betawatch: May 4 - 10, 2013 Betawatch: May 4 - 10, 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Project Tank tanked by World of Tanks Posted: 10 May 2013 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser, Legal, World of Tanks A while ago, Project Tank popped up on our radar for two reasons. First of all, it was a browser-based multiplayer tank-based combat simulator. Second, it bore a lot of similarities to the existing multiplayer tank-based combat simulator World of Tanks, enough that Wargaming.net brought out the copyright lawyers. A copyright infringement suit was filed today by Wargaming.net, claiming that Project Tank directly copies many elements of World of Tanks and violates some existing patents. Gamebox has responded to these claims on the official site for the game, claiming that Wargaming.net has engaged in "underhanded" actions to try to shut down the project. This marks the end of the closed beta for Project Tank, which is promising open beta in approximately a month. You can take a look at the side-by-side comparison from before and draw your own conclusions about whether Project Tank is being unfairly accused or entirely fairly accused. Project Tank tanked by World of Tanks originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Star Wars: The Old Republic unveils dye module preview video Posted: 10 May 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic Star Wars: The Old Republic is about to get a little more colorful. The upcoming game update 2.1, as you may remember, will herald the arrival of a number of new dye modules that players can use to satisfy their inner fashionistas. Well today, the fine folks at BioWare have released a new video to give players a sneak peek at some of the lovely tints they'll be able to get their nerf-herding little hands on when 2.1 goes live. So what're hue waiting for (ha ha)? Click on past the cut to check out the full video. Continue reading Star Wars: The Old Republic unveils dye module preview video Star Wars: The Old Republic unveils dye module preview video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| No launch torch for Marvel Heroes, but plenty of Steam Posted: 10 May 2013 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Super-hero, Launches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes When Marvel Heroes announced that Squirrel Girl, Emma Frost, Nova, and Luke Cage would be delayed until after the game had launched, it was bad news, depriving the game of three popular heroes and Nova until later. Now another hero has joined the ranks of the not-in-launch crowd. The Human Torch will be delayed until after release, although players who have pre-purchased launch packs will still have full access to all of the Torch's add-ons when he does go live. Despite this loss, the game has obviously generated enough heat to make its way on to Steam for its final open beta weekend. Players who already have the game installed don't need to worry, but Steam users can install the game directly from the Steam client. Launch packs purchased prior to the Steam integration should work seamlessly, and you can also purchase launch packs directly from Steam if the final beta weekend inspires you to do so. No launch torch for Marvel Heroes, but plenty of Steam originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Allods Online pops the cork on its second anniversary Posted: 10 May 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events (In-Game), Free-to-Play, Giveaways, Allods Online, Anniversaries Considering how long Allods Online was launched-but-not-officially-launched, we think it's slightly inaccurate to acknowledge gPotato's claim that this is the title's second anniversary. Still, any excuse for a party, right? Starting today, Allods Online is featuring plenty of events, giveaways, and store sales to mark the occasion. Active players have another shot at taming a free grey wolf or earning a "Noble Hero" costume set during the anniversary. There's also a few special NPCs who will be accepting anniversary coins in exchange for an array of special goodies. If you're of a mind to spend some money, all of the item shops wares are available for 20% off through the 13th. GPotato is also giving veteran players 250 premium crystals and an anniversary gift package for those who have been in the game prior to today. The anniversary event goes from now until June 10th. Allods Online pops the cork on its second anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Tamriel Infinium: Stepping into the world of The Elder Scrolls Online Posted: 10 May 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, New Titles, Opinion, The Elder Scrolls Online, Tamriel Infinium Many players in my guild are really looking forward to Elder Scrolls Online. Nearly everyone has signed up for beta. I cannot confirm or deny whether some of them might be in playing right now. When I announced that I was taking on the ESO column for Massively, I could feel their questioning eyes burning through the internet: Why would you want to do a column on the Elder Scrolls? You have said that you were burned out on fantasy. Skyrim gave you trouble because of the first-person view. And there are no playable dwarves. They might have caught me on that last one, but the others are partially true, as well. I have played a lot of fantasy games, but TES bends a lot of the traditions of high fantasy. And thankfully, you can play all of Skyrim in third-person view. There are three major factors that have kept me intrigued with the entire world of the Elder Scrolls. Tamriel is full of deep and rich lore. Granted, most of ESO's lore is future-tense, but a good chunk can be applied to the current timeline -- much as in Star Wars: The Old Republic, my other editorial focus. Secondly, Elder Scrolls Online intends to keep the mechanics and the flavor of the franchise within an MMO setting. This includes a PvP system that pits three factions against each other. Although I usually have a take-it-or-leave-it approach to open-world PvP, I have always been fascinated by how three-faction systems work. Lastly, the community is passionate. I enjoy connecting with people who are looking to connect with each other and share their hopes for a game that hasn't even been released yet. Those will be the three main focuses of this column. Let me tell you how it will work. Continue reading Tamriel Infinium: Stepping into the world of The Elder Scrolls Online Tamriel Infinium: Stepping into the world of The Elder Scrolls Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Guild Wars 2's living story takes us back to Southsun Cove Posted: 10 May 2013 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events (In-Game), Lore, Guild Wars 2, Buy-to-Play As the Flame and Frost living story in Guild Wars 2 draws to a close, ArenaNet is gearing up for the next step of its story delivery system. Starting on May 14th, the team will be enticing players to return to Southsun Cove, the location of the controversial Lost Shores event. A new dev blog on the official site outlines what the team is looking to do with the living story: "May represents a transition: The Flame and Frost arc is now complete, and our plan calls for content to build on what came before while also kicking things off in a new direction. With that in mind, Team Spring Break first focused on the essentials: characters, story, and gameplay." In this first chapter of the new living story, players will team up with Inspector Ellen Kiel of the Lionguard as she and her allies address a tense situation between the settlers and the Consortium. It's only the start of the story, however; events won't be heating up until the summer proper. Guild Wars 2's living story takes us back to Southsun Cove originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| LotRO Update 11 dev diaries feature epic story, mounted combat 2.0 Posted: 10 May 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Patches, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries Hark! Is that a new update for Lord of the Rings Online on the horizon? It is indeed, my chums. And with any fresh LotRO patch comes an expected slew of developer diaries. Today we have two dev diaries to report about for players getting ready for next week's Update 11. The first talks about the next addition to the epic story, Volume III, Book 10. The diary discusses the 15-chapter storyline as well as the optional "interlude" Ranger episodes that may be played in sequence or out of order. There's even a funny behind-the-scenes moment when the devs show how badly they messed up an NPC model. Then there's a diary on what Turbine is calling " Mounted Combat 2.0." Sweeping changes are coming to mounted combat with Update 11, including retooling the movement tree into a class-specific one, the addition of more class-specific skills, and a ton of polish and iteration. Massively will take a deeper look at Update 11 tomorrow, so stay tuned! LotRO Update 11 dev diaries feature epic story, mounted combat 2.0 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Defiance renewed for a second season Posted: 10 May 2013 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, MMO Industry, MMOFPS, Defiance, Buy-to-Play Even with Syfy doing a happy dance over Defiance's premiere numbers, there's been a cloud of doubt hovering over the show's survival. Because, well, this is Syfy. We've never quite forgiven the channel for canceling Farscape in favor of Octosharkasaurus vs. Mecha-Piranhadon. But it looks as though the MMO's sibling has received an extension of life, as Syfy renewed it for a second season. Syfy President of Original Content Mark Stern had these words of encouragement at the news: "Bringing the rich world of Defiance to life has been an incredible team effort. We couldn't ask for better partners than Kevin Murphy, his amazing cast and crew, and Trion Worlds. We can't wait to see where they take us in the second season." The press release says that the demographics for the show have remained impressive for the network, that over a million registered players have enjoyed the multi-platform MMO, and that the Trion-Syfy collaboration will continue into the second season. Defiance renewed for a second season originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Final Fantasy XIV coming this summer, next beta phase starting in June Posted: 10 May 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, Final Fantasy XIV, Dev Diaries Executive Producer Naoki Yoshida has a couple of significant announcements concerning the testing and release of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. He's excited to announce that the relaunch of the title will be happening in "summer 2013," with a more specific date to be announced by the end of May. He also said that details and pre-orders for the collector's edition will be coming this month as well. "The whole team has been working at full throttle to ensure the game will be ready for a summer release," Yoshida said. "It won't be long before you can mark your calendars and begin the final countdown!" Before the launch happens, however, phase 3 of beta testing needs to happen. This will start at the beginning of June, according to Yoshida. Phase 3 is notable in that it will be the first time that the PlayStation 3 version of FFXIV will be included in the beta testing. Final Fantasy XIV coming this summer, next beta phase starting in June originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Storyboard: Making villains work Posted: 10 May 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous A while ago, I talked about the fact that roleplaying in MMOs most closely resembles comic books. This is apropos of the current discussion because both mediums have a fundamental issue with how villains are supposed to work. A good villain should be roundly trounced by the end of a story, but you also want to bring back a villain for more antics later on. So as I begin the follow-up to my recent column on the topic, the question becomes how you can make a villain who's entertaining and satisfying to encounter without becoming boring or making everyone wonder why no one has stabbed him yet. To be fair, there's no way to absolutely fix this problem. Someone will always have the idea that stabbing the villain to death will alleviate the problem, and that assumption is pretty much right. But there are ways to minimize the issue without making everyone seem like a colossal twit or creating the soap opera problem (wherein everyone is a malicious jerk every so often and no one seems to make long-term changes). This week I want to examine how both antagonistic and malicious villains can be played to avoid those pitfalls. Continue reading Storyboard: Making villains work Storyboard: Making villains work originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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