MMO Updates |
- The Guild Counsel: What I learned at the SOE Live player panels
- The Perfect Ten: Stages of returning to an old MMO love
- Chaos Theory: Emergent futures for The Secret World
- Origins of Malu secures funding, cancels Kickstarter project
- XLGAMES developing Civilization Online for Asia
- RIFT converts several servers to trial-only, expands capacity
- The Daily Grind: What 2013 MMO are you anticipating the most?
- Lineage II releases Glory Days update
- Warhammer Online unleashes the Daemonic Gifts of Khorne
- WildStar rocks out with the Granok
- Yo ho ho: Happy 10th birthday, Puzzle Pirates
- Write fiction for EVE Online, win fabulous prizes
- LotRO lotteries return with better odds
- Star Trek Online is streamlining elite gear acquisition in Season 7
- Enter at Your Own Rift: Enjoying the finer points of Storm Legion
- SOE Live 2012: EverQuest II interviews highlight focus on crafting, player stories
- A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Potential new homes after City of Heroes
- DDO unearths upgraded Endless Dead festival
- Torchlight II might take some inspiration from Minecraft down the road
- New ArcheAge China videos profile Hariharan race
- Origins of Malu Kickstarter launches today [Updated]
- Wizard101 invites us to the dinosaur world of Azteca
| The Guild Counsel: What I learned at the SOE Live player panels Posted: 25 Oct 2012 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Super-hero, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Culture, Events, real-world, Guilds, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, Massively Event Coverage, DC Universe Online, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous  Thanks to my time-turner necklace, I was able to catch several of these player panels in addition to the regular game panels, and I've summed them up below. There were some great moments from each of these panels, and if you missed them, you'll want to check out the highlights below! Continue reading The Guild Counsel: What I learned at the SOE Live player panels
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| The Perfect Ten: Stages of returning to an old MMO love Posted: 25 Oct 2012 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Humor, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous  We return to MMOs a lot, don't we? There are so many reasons we do it and they're mostly boring, so I'm not interested in talking about them here. But what I do want to chart is the progression I've seen in myself and others as we've come back to an old MMO flame. I've identified 10 stages (well, 11 really) that the returning gamer goes through, and in the interest of SCIENCE, I want to be the first to write the defining document of this significant process. Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Stages of returning to an old MMO love
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| Chaos Theory: Emergent futures for The Secret World Posted: 25 Oct 2012 08:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, The Secret World, Sandbox  What does this have to do with The Secret World? Well, Funcom has also been making noises about emergent gameplay and paradigm shifts, and I'd like to speculate, prognosticate, and otherwise pontificate about that after the cut. Continue reading Chaos Theory: Emergent futures for The Secret World
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| Origins of Malu secures funding, cancels Kickstarter project Posted: 25 Oct 2012 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Business models, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Sandbox  In fact it sounds pretty positive, as the indie outfit has secured funding for its sci-fantasy sandbox title and lead developer Michael Dunham has updated the Origins website with an explanation. "We did not want to disappoint anyone. We know this seems like a strange turn of events, but we are learning just how fast the game industry can change. And all I can say is this will give us the ability to deliver what you have been asking and begging for for years," Dunham writes. Burning Dog will refund the pledges of Kickstarter contributors and provide them with a substantial list of in-game bonus items for their trouble.
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| XLGAMES developing Civilization Online for Asia Posted: 25 Oct 2012 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play  Unfortunately there's no word yet on when (or if) the title will be available in the West. Take-Two's latest press blurb says that Civilization Online is being built exclusively as a connected experience and exclusively for Asia. XL CEO and Lineage/ArcheAge guru Jake Song is overseeing a team of "more than 100" developers working on the project.
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| RIFT converts several servers to trial-only, expands capacity Posted: 25 Oct 2012 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, MMO industry, News items, RIFT  Trion has been updating its shard technology in advance of the Storm Legion expansion, and the result is that everyone in the game's European and American regions can play on their own dedicated wargroup. Trion says via forum post that the updates "have effectively doubled the capacity of the individual servers" and reduced queue times for dungeons and PvP. Briarcliff, Byriel, Deepstrike, Gnarlwood, Greenscale, Keenblade, Millrush, and Silkweb have all been converted to trial servers. Trion is offering free character transfers to former residents, and there are instructions and further details on the process at RIFT's official website.
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| The Daily Grind: What 2013 MMO are you anticipating the most? Posted: 25 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, Opinion, The Daily Grind, ArcheAge, The Elder Scrolls Online  Next year looks much calmer, though the impending arrival of The Elder Scrolls Online and possibly ArcheAge will no doubt register on everyone's hype meter. So how about it, dear readers. What 2013 MMORPG release are you anticipating the most?  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!
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| Lineage II releases Glory Days update Posted: 24 Oct 2012 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Lineage 2, Patches, PvP, Free-to-play  Glory Days adds a something for the whole family of gamers. The update includes new raids, zone overhauls, a nifty clan wars PvP system, dual classes, subclasses, zombie quests, and a whole mess of smaller changes and improvements. If this is your game, then you will want to clear about a half-hour or so to read through all of the patch notes. We've got the soul-stirring trailer for Glory Days after the jump! Continue reading Lineage II releases Glory Days update
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| Warhammer Online unleashes the Daemonic Gifts of Khorne Posted: 24 Oct 2012 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, News items  Participation simply requires players to slay Khorne's minions as well as throw in some enemy player kills. Successful participation rewards you with several boosts, including a special binding scroll for a daemon and new pieces of jewelry. No word on how long this event will take place, but considering it's a manifestation of chaos, we think it might be best to jump in and take advantage before it vanishes.
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| WildStar rocks out with the Granok Posted: 24 Oct 2012 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, News items, Races, WildStar  The Dominion originally approached the Granok hoping to use them as durable shock troops and laborers, but the Granok as a whole refused the offer, prompting a war with the superpower that the Granok quickly began losing. It was only when a leader emerged willing to fight dirty that the tide began to turn for the Granok, setting into motion their eventual exile from Gnox. Take a look at the full article for all the details on these stony soldiers of fortune and the war for their planet, one that ended with a victory almost as bad as defeat.
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| Yo ho ho: Happy 10th birthday, Puzzle Pirates Posted: 24 Oct 2012 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Puzzle, Video, Interviews, Free-to-play, Casual, Massively Interviews, Kids, Family, Anniversary  What you end up with is a pretty realistic depiction of a team working together to sail the high seas, fight NPCs, and attack other players. This same puzzle-based gameplay works its way throughout the entire game, making for a very unique and in-depth experience. It also ensures that players become experts at certain puzzles, something that easily represents the way a real-life sailor would become an expert at his or her station. In a word, it's brilliant. Massively checked in with CEO Daniel James on the occasion of the game's birthday. Read on for the scoop! Continue reading Yo ho ho: Happy 10th birthday, Puzzle Pirates
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| Write fiction for EVE Online, win fabulous prizes Posted: 24 Oct 2012 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Lore, News items, Promotions, Sandbox  The contest offers two ways for players to enter. First, you can write up a wholly fictional story based entirely in the lore, or second, you can write up an account of events centered around your characters in the game. Either way, contest entries are expected to be between 1500-5000 words in length and must be submitted by December 2nd. If you've got a story to tell, take a look at the full contest page and get writing.
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| LotRO lotteries return with better odds Posted: 24 Oct 2012 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Free-to-play, Giveaways  It won't just be the same lotteries your dad used to scratch, either. The team's made a few upgrades to the system, mostly in response to the expansion and increase of the level cap. There are two new regular lotteries as well as smaller brackets, which means that the odds of winning a prize will go up across the board for all players. Players can enter the lottery through the website. Turbine's also updated the official lottery FAQ with all of the new information.
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| Star Trek Online is streamlining elite gear acquisition in Season 7 Posted: 24 Oct 2012 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, Previews, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries  There are many elements to this streamlining, however. Among them is the reduction of 42 items needed for certain gear sets to a mere two, shared drops across all special task forces, and a progress bar that shows when your drop will materialize. CM Brandon Felczer sums it up as thus: "By removing the random drop nature of the STFs, players will be able to use the reputation system to visualize their progress towards obtaining these awesome gear sets. It is clearer, easier to understand, and by reducing the number of STF runs needed, the rewards are flat-out more realistic to obtain for the average player."
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| Enter at Your Own Rift: Enjoying the finer points of Storm Legion Posted: 24 Oct 2012 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Opinion, RIFT, Enter at Your Own Rift  I'm still cutting my teeth on RIFT's Storm Legion, but there are several things that already get me excited about the expansion. We've heard a lot about the big things coming to the game, but in this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, I'd like to talk about a few of the little things that will make this a well-received expansion. Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Enjoying the finer points of Storm Legion
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| SOE Live 2012: EverQuest II interviews highlight focus on crafting, player stories Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events, real-world, Expansions, Interviews, Free-to-play, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage, Crafting  Did previous announcements leave you wondering whether crafters will be required to grind their own AA tree up from 0? How many crafted items can actually be mass produced at one time? And what's in store for the Dungeon Maker and SOEmote? These questions and more were answered as I sat down with Brain Ferguson (PvP and tradeskill game designer), Holly Longdale, (Producer), and Dave Georgeson (Director of the EQ franchise). Continue reading SOE Live 2012: EverQuest II interviews highlight focus on crafting, player stories
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| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Potential new homes after City of Heroes Posted: 24 Oct 2012 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter  The problem, of course, is that nothing else can ever be City of Heroes. Like Benjamin Franklin, nothing can serve as its replacement, merely as its successor. But it's worth examining some of the more reasonable and likely destinations for the community. I'm sure there are more, but the four I've listed seem to be the games that either are or will be hoovering up a large number of the game's former players, games that are close enough to what CoH represents to serve as a reasonable successor. So let's look at our potential new homes and see what they have to offer, both good and bad. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Potential new homes after City of Heroes
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| DDO unearths upgraded Endless Dead festival Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Events, in-game, Free-to-play  The festival, which begins tomorrow and runs through November 4th, includes a special instance, cool prizes, and plenty of undead bad guys coming up for another round with your sword-and-shield. The team has increased the size of the monsters, added items like night black coffee (mmm), and dangled the possibility of accessing the Summoning Chamber, a special instance created for the event. Get a bloody eyeful of the scares to come in the gallery below!
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| Torchlight II might take some inspiration from Minecraft down the road Posted: 24 Oct 2012 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Interviews, News items, Crafting  You like Torchlight II, right? Pummeling your way through waves of baddies, reducing those baddies to nothing more than piles of gold and items -- it's exhilarating, isn't it? But what if you could do more? Maybe like building a little house or planting a field of wheat? Max Schaefer, designer extraordinaire, hinted in a recent interview that that's the sort of future addition he'd like for Torchlight II. He said that his personal hope for the game would be "to get the building and resource aspects of Minecraft and put them into an ARPG, just so it's a little more than just wandering from one monster to the next and hitting them." Schaefer is a fan of this idea as a way to lend a sense of permanence to the game and a way for players to add to their game world. However, he's not the only person at Runic Games, which means his idea is just one of many possibilities for the future of Torchlight II. "We're a long way from exhausting the possibilities," he added. To hear about power creep, player mods, and how awesome a Minecraft-Torchlight II fusion would be, hit up the full interview.
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| New ArcheAge China videos profile Hariharan race Posted: 24 Oct 2012 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Races, ArcheAge, Sandbox  The first is a very brief intro clip, followed by two longer videos that offer extensive looks at the game's Hariharan (i.e., human) race and its native territory. All three videos are viewable after the cut. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!] Continue reading New ArcheAge China videos profile Hariharan race
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| Origins of Malu Kickstarter launches today [Updated] Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Sandbox  To recap, Origins is a sci-fantasy sandbox with an ambitious feature set that aims to give players full control over an expansive open world. It's also more than a pipe dream, and we've already gotten our hands on a build of the title to prove it. All that said, indie sandbox development is expensive, and Burning Dog is looking to raise $1.2 million to help fund the project. The Origins Kickstarter initiative just launched today and it concludes on December 8th, so you've got plenty of time to learn about the game and the various pledge-related incentives. [Update: We've added a new trailer past the cut!] Continue reading Origins of Malu Kickstarter launches today [Updated]
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| Wizard101 invites us to the dinosaur world of Azteca Posted: 24 Oct 2012 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Interviews, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play, Massively Interviews, Kids, Wizard101, Family  So what's the big exciting news of the day? Producer Leah Ruben was bursting at the seams to tell us in three words: "Dinosaurs are awesome!" Actually, the big news is that Wizard101 is preparing to release its ninth new world since launch, a dinosaur world named Azteca. Azteca not only will challenge players to progress through 13 areas but is going to raise the level cap. And the biggest surprise of all? It's going on test servers this week for players to try out. Keep on reading to find out what Azteca is going to do for the landscape of Wizard101! Continue reading Wizard101 invites us to the dinosaur world of Azteca
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